


Ninja Assassin: Heiki

by RavenT2



Category: Ninja Assassin (2009)
Genre: Assassins, F/M, Hanta Kirra, Raizo & Mika Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:15:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 43,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23451562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RavenT2/pseuds/RavenT2
Summary: Bodies are turning up all over Europe and the assassin only leaves evidence he wants to be found. To catch this killer, Maslow sends out a call to the best killer he knows of. But, what will happen when Raizo and Mika meet again, after six months of being apart? And will this new assassin be too much for them to overcome? Rated T for language, violence, and suggestive themes. (Repost from my other fan fiction page)
Relationships: Mika Coretti & Ryan Maslow, Mika Coretti/Raizo, Mika Corretti & Ryan Maslow & Raizo
Comments: 10
Kudos: 29





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> (A/N: 2020.04.02 UPDATE ~ Hello, all! This part of my project of updating old stories I’ve done. Editing and correcting some of the mistakes and things that have bugged for me a while. As I’ve stated in my profile, I’m not doing this with every story. Just a few. Anywho, I’m not changing anything in the story, just updating some old mistakes. That’s why I’m also leaving some of my original Author Notes (A/N) in as well. I want to keep the spirit of the original story while correcting some mistakes. I'm only leaving some notes because others don't quite here on AO3 like they did on FF. Thank you all and enjoy!)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: DISCLAIMER: I do not own the rights to Ninja Assassin. Those rights belong to those good owners who I wish would DO A SEQUEL WITH THE CAST! Okay, Sorry had to get that out.

** Chapter One **

The party at the penthouse ballroom in the downtown Hilton Hotel in Paris was full with people. It was gorgeous and decorated with regal white and crown. While the party went on, Shinsuke walked in. He stayed in the shadows and waited until his target, Harcourt Bertrand, was in the correct position. When Shinsuke saw that Bertrand had gone to speak with a consultant for another corporation by a table near the large window, he knew it was time. He pulled out his cell phone and hit SEND. Suddenly, machinegun fire tore through the windows of the party. Just like the rest of the partygoers, Bertrand ran to duck for cover and Shinsuke, quickly, moved behind him, waited until Bertrand dove down to the floor, and shot him three times in the back, making sure both bullets tore through his target’s heart. After that, Shinsuke, quietly, slipped out in the chaos.

Shinsuke took the service stairs, throwing a red shuriken at the wall to make it stick to it, and continued down the stairs. On the bottom floor, he exited into the back alley of the hotel; when he heard the sirens approach, he smiled and let out a chuckle. He put on a pair of sunglasses, dug out a cigarette and lighter, lit the cigarette, and inhaled. “Oh, what a lovely night. Paris. Such a beautiful city.” After one good exhale of smoke, he placed the cigarette back in his mouth and disappeared onto the Paris streets.

* * *

With a moan, Mika woke up from her dream; same dream for the past six months. Six months since Europol destroyed the Ozunu Clan and their leader was killed by one of his former pupils. It was the pupil that Mika could never forget. She sat up and rubbed her forehead.

“Raizo,” she whispered.

The dream didn’t happen every night, usually once a week, but it was always the same. And it was always intense.

A romantic setting, a bedroom in the moonlight, candles all around. Her and the deadliest man she’d ever come across. She would find herself standing on balcony and he would suddenly appear behind her. She would turn to say his name but his lips would be on hers before she ever got it out. He would pick her up, still kissing her all the while, and take her in the bedroom. He would place her on the bed and climb over her, leaving her short of breath and only able to whisper his name before he kissed her again.

Much to her chagrin, that was when she would usually wake up. Sometimes, however, the dream was extended a little further but, on those mornings, she would wake up in a cold sweat and out of breath. Those mornings meant a cold shower, a day of difficult focus, and her anger at the ninja would grow just a little bit more each time.

It was due in large part as to how he left her in the first place. In her mind, she often did phrase it “he left me,” which she found odd in itself. They were never a couple, he never said that he was in love with her, he never even gave signs to indicate such and they never kissed. For the life of her, Mika couldn’t figure out why she was so hung up on him. But she was. She was mad at him and wanted him to come back at the exact same time.

She did her best to ignore it most days and, usually, did a pretty good job. Her work at the Berlin Europol office helped keep her occupied, but she did have her moments. Sometimes, she caught herself daydreaming about Raizo and wondering where he is. In her most private thoughts, she would wonder how her dream would play out in reality, but usually it was just a question of wondering where he was. She thought of doing searches for him but thought it would be too dangerous. For him and her.

She was sitting at her desk, lost in her thoughts when a knock came to her door frame. She let out a small gasp of surprise and looked to see Ryan Maslow staring at her, holding a manila folder in his hand.

“Sleeping on the job?” Maslow asked.

“I wish,” Mika replied. “Just… lost in thought, that’s all.”

“Well, I won’t even hazard a guess as to why. Mind if I come in?”

“Sure. We can talk while I get this report together.”

Maslow came in, closed the door behind him, and stood kind of awkwardly by the chair in Mika’s office. She received a promotion since the whole Ozunu clan deal, but she stayed out of field work, deciding she was better at intelligence gathering and organizing. She and Maslow had spent time together since the Ozunu incident, lunches and things of that nature, but nothing ever too serious. Their work hadn’t even crossed each other’s path in the past six months, save a couple of items here and there.

But Mika could tell something was different today. He seemed a bit nervous, quietly anxious, and almost overtly exasperated. “Ryan? What is it?” She, just then, noticed the folder he was holding. She motioned toward it, “And, what’s that?”

Maslow exhaled and sat down, “Mika… we need to talk.”

She stared at him as a worried look entered her eyes and ran through her body. “Ryan, are you firing me?”

He shook his head, “Far from it. I need your help with a new case that fell in my lap.”

She was relieved. “What case?”

“You heard about Harcourt Bertrand’s murder in Paris?”

“Yeah.” She pulled out a file she had on her desk about it and read it. “Someone shot up the party where he was the only victim. Three shots right in the back from a silenced Beretta M1951. No one saw the killer come or go. He didn’t leave anything behind but the bullets Bertrand’s back. Not even any shell casings were found. It’s being called perfect execution. No trail, no leads, no evidence.”

“That’s just it: some evidence was left behind.”

“They said it was completely clean. Nothing found but the machineguns that were rigged to a device that dropped down and fired into the room.”

“That’s what the news covered,” he said.

“What else was found?” she asked.

He sighed and put the folder in front of her, setting it on her desk. She looked at him, curiously, but opened the folder, regardless. She looked through it, finding nothing out of the ordinary, until she came to the last page that had a picture of the red shuriken lodged into the wall.

Her eyes widened. She looked up at him, “Ryan…”

“It’s real.” He exhaled in exhaustion. “I deal with ninjas one damn time and now they pop up in every damn facet of my life.”

“Why are you bringing me in on this?”

He paused then sighed.

She already knew what that meant. “Where is he?”

“He’ll be here tomorrow.”

And, just like that, Mika’s life instantly became more complicated than she was ready for. Raizo wasn’t in front of her yet and already her heart was beating faster than usual. “How did you find him?”

“He found me,” Maslow admitted. “I leaked the information.”

Now, she was really confused. “What? How? Why?”

“Because we’re outmaneuvered here. This type of assassination with this kind of calling card is completely out of our league. And there have been others exactly like it; no evidence except a shuriken. I’m not even sure how many similar murders were talking here. Luckily, we’ve been able to keep it out of the public knowledge so no copycats. The murders are sporadic and are usually high-profile and/or political killings. But this same gun has been used in past killings matching the same M.O. of unbelievable stealth and I have never seen anyone kill someone and not leave behind any evidence except for what they wanted to be found, especially since the killer had to be right on top of Bertrand to kill him like this.” He sighed. “With a killing this perfectly executed, I thought it best to bring in an expert.”

She was still finding this a little hard to swallow. “So, how did Raizo find you?”

“I leaked a bit of the information to a public tabloid site and left a trail that I was hoping he would follow.” He scoffed and sat back. “He called me four hours later. That guy is damn good.”

Mika’s breath caught in her chest as she realized that, very soon, she would be seeing Raizo again. Now, she wasn’t so sure if it was she wanted.

Maslow could see her turmoil over this. He always knew she had a soft spot for him. This just confirmed how much. “Mika…”

“I’m fine, Ryan.”

He knew she was lying. “Go home. Get some rest. Report back tomorrow so we can get to work.”

“Is he going to show up at my apartment again?”

“I couldn’t even begin to know the answer to that.”

She sighed. “Fine.” Maslow left as she started to gather her stuff and head for home. Maslow was right about one thing: she was going to need the rest.

* * *

Raizo sat on the plane, looking over his file of what he knew about the killings that matched the one that was committed in Paris. He had seen impressive murders before from the Clans but this was, by far, the most different from any he’d ever seen. Just from his first observation; the fact that guns and a cell phone were used was the dead giveaway. The Clans may use the new ways to get close to a target but the old ways were always used to make the execution. Raizo knew that this killer was someone very different but also very good.

But he could ponder all of this later. There was one thing that weighed far heavier on his mind than this masterfully performed assassination: the woman he met six months ago. More often than not, Mika had been on his mind since he left her. He thought she would be easy to let go of, but there was something about her that kept her on his mind, even more so than Kiriko in recent days.

Raizo couldn’t lie to himself: while part of him wanted to know about this killer, nearly all of him contacted Maslow for one reason. For her.

‘ _Mika._ ’

Raizo didn’t know what happened when he first met Mika and got to know her, but, for some reason, she was different. It would’ve been easier to use her as bait against the Hanta Kirra and Ozunu but he wanted to protect her; no matter how much more difficult it would’ve made things, he found her worth the risk. Ever since his departure, he thought about her every day. He missed her. He wanted to see her again. He even found himself hoping that he would. Part of him was hoping that seeing her would answer the question as to why he wanted to so badly, while the other part just wanted to see her, and this was the perfect way to do it. He could only hope this business would be a matter that could settled with as little incident as possible.

But he had a gut feeling that it would be nowhere near that simple.

The night looked as though it would come with no sleep for Mika. It just past 1 AM and she wasn’t tired and she didn’t really want to go sleep because she couldn’t risk having another dream about Raizo when she was about to see him so soon. That would make the meeting all the more difficult to handle. She attempted to distract herself with the case and what she had so far, but it was all useless. She stared at one page for a half hour and gave up when she realized she could barely remember how the first sentence started. Raizo’s face kept coming to her mind bringing some, admittedly wanted but very useless, thoughts to her mind. She pushed the pages aside and decided to just try and relax for the rest of the night. She had a feeling that the coming days were going to be busy.

* * *

The following morning, Mika did everything she could to mentally prepare for what was about to happen but she wasn’t sure if she would be, no matter how she prepared. Nevertheless, she readied herself at home the best she could. She got to work and walked into her office and, immediately, knew that someone was there. She looked to her right and, standing at her window, was the ninja she met six months ago. The warrior who fought with shadows and more deadly precision than a sniper. The man who saved her life.

Raizo turned around, pausing the second he laid eyes on her. He looked at her with, surprisingly, an apprehensive look. His voice caught for a second but he, silently, cleared his throat and greeted her, “Hello, Mika.”

She had to catch her breath just to say his name and, just like in her dreams, she could barely whisper out, “Raizo…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Face to face, at long last. Reunited. Does it feel good? Time will tell. I hope you guys enjoy the start. Be here for the next chapter!


	2. Chapter Two

Raizo and Mika stared at each other in total silence, neither knowing what to say. While Mika was used to his silence, she had no idea that Raizo was trying just as hard as her to find the right words.

She looked around, curiously. She, nervously, ran her hand through her hair. “You… you’re here to work on the case?” She immediately kicked herself for that being the first thing she said.

He nodded. “Yes.”

“How did you find Maslow’s trail?”

“It wasn’t hard. He left it open enough for me to track.”

“Have you been to see him yet?” she asked.

“No,” he answered. “I came to see you first.”

Her anger rose at that, for reasons she wasn’t going to get into now. She’d unload on him, soon enough. “We need to go see him.”

Raizo could tell that she was angry with him but he imagined that was something that would wait until later.

Mika walked in Maslow’s office and Raizo walked in right behind her. Right as he saw Raizo, Maslow hesitated, forgetting for brief second that he contacted Raizo and that this deadly ninja was on their side.

Maslow didn’t mind admitting it out loud, however. “Amazing. Six months and you’re still terrifying when all you did was walk in a room.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Raizo smirked.

“Well, welcome back to Berlin.”

Raizo gave him a respectful nod.

Maslow brought the duo the conference room, which, for Mika, reminded her where all the insanity with her involvement with ninjas, actually, started. She drug Maslow in to explain her “100 pounds of gold” theory as it tied to the Clans. From that day, nothing was the same. She should’ve known better, but, at the time, it was very exciting to her to make such a discovery. If wasn’t for her conflicting feelings toward Raizo, she would be able to admit that this would be very exciting.

Maslow turned on a projector. “Killings similar to these have been going on for the past five years.” A photo came up from the first murder. “It started in America. Michael Meeks, wanna-be mob boss. Goes to dinner at a restaurant with his date. Someone starts a fire at nearby table and, when everyone stands up, he’s shot twice in the back and no one heard or saw a thing.” He looked at Raizo, “Including this one and Bertrand, that’s eight altogether. And that is just what could find before you got here. I thought it would take a group of you to pull off some of the ones I’ve seen.”

“Such as?” Mika asked.

Maslow held one finger up. “I have to admit, this is my personal favorite.” He pulled out a file, opened it, and placed on the table between them. “2 years ago, Oxley Grey’s murder. He knew that something was coming, rumor was that someone called him and gave him the exact date, time, and place of his death.” He hit a button on the projector, “Grey was connected. A member of British Parliament, though most saw him as a bit of an arse.”

“A bit? He blackmailed anyone who got in his way.”

“Allegedly.”

“Whatever.”

Maslow hit another button. “He hired some of the strongest muscle this side of the Pond to protect him. Ten guys.” He pressed another button that revealed a grisly murder scene that made Mika cover her mouth while Raizo just examined the kills. “Ten guys. Ten deaths, before Grey lost his head in the struggle. Literally. No one saw anyone come or go.” He sat down. “Now, I’ve have seen some brilliantly executed murders in my time. But I have never seen anything like this before.”

Raizo looked at the projection. “And he uses a gun?”

“Yeah.” Maslow looked at Raizo, intently. “It’s why I called you. We need your help. You’re probably the best at this kind of thing. A damn sure sight of the best I’ve ever seen. And, the fact this guy leaves a calling card that I’ve only seen since I met you… just tells me he’s way out of our league. I imagine you would be the best one to ask to bring him down. Anyone else we send after this guy, I already know I’ll get nothing but body bags back. They’ll either be too stupid or too ignorant to take this seriously. You already have.”

Raizo looked at the information on the killings, all of the photos ran through his mind, then he focused on the picture of the shuriken. Such perfect execution was incredible but by himself? That, alone, was noteworthy. Plus, Maslow was right: anyone else would be killed if they didn’t take this seriously and he already did. Raizo looked at Maslow and nodded, “I’ll help you.”

Maslow sighed in relief. “Good to hear. Now, last question.” He looked at Mika. “Are you in?”

Mika rolled her eyes. “Yeah, sure.”

“Great.” Maslow looked at Raizo again. “Now, the only issue that you know I can’t just have you running around without making you official.”

“You can’t have my name on the record,” Raizo said.

“Of course not. I’m not some bright-eyed idiot trying to get in good with the office. I want to get this done. I don’t care how.” Maslow sat back down. “Now, we need to find out how to get you on the record.”

“Put me under a cover name. It will keep me secret while still giving me your authority to act on behalf of your department. The only legal issues come if I get caught.” Raizo paused. “I won’t get caught.”

“How do you know so much about this?”

“I’ve done it before.”

That unnerved Mika and Maslow, leading them to wonder the basic questions of who, where, why, and when but they thought it best to leave that alone for now. They didn’t figure they would, or could, get a straight answer from him anyway.

“Alright,” Maslow sighed. “A codename. Great. A regular Double-O-7 style thing we have going here.” He said, in a lower tone, “I thought I left that shit in London.” He looked at the ninja. “Fine. I’m sure we can come up with some kind of name for you.”

“Heiki,” Raizo said, suddenly.

“What?”

“The name you can use: Heiki.”

“And what, in the blue hell, does that even mean?”

“It’s Japanese for ‘weapon.’”

Maslow looked a little uncomfortable at that while Mika stared at Raizo, incredulously.

Maslow shrugged and let out a slow exhale. “God, I thought only Military Intelligence handled this kind of stuff.”

Raizo, quietly, chuckled.

“What?”

Raizo smirked. “Nothing. Just… reminiscing.”

“I don’t even want to begin to know what that means.”

“I couldn’t tell you if you asked.”

“You really are terrifying,” Maslow noted.

Raizo just shrugged.

* * *

After the meeting, the question of sleeping arrangements for the night came into play. With some reluctance, Mika agreed to let Raizo stay with her for the night while Maslow arranged their next step in hunting down this new assassin. Raizo and Mika were back at her apartment and he looked around. He wasn’t surprised that she had moved since the night they met when Jin almost succeeded in killing her. Her new apartment was a lot like her old one, just in a different building, neighborhood, and larger.

“You can sleep on the couch,” she said to him, in a rather prickly tone.

He set his bag down by the couch and waked into the kitchen where she was.

“I’m not the most domesticated woman in the world, but there’s food, if you’re hungry.”

“I know how to cook,” he replied.

“Fine.” She grabbed a few items from the fridge, attempting to be civil.

She was very angry. That was far too easy to tell. No sense in avoiding this any longer; they were alone and no one would disturb them. He decided to go ahead and tackle this issue head-on.

“I know you have a lot to say,” he said.

She slammed the plate down and shot a look of anger at him, “You’re damn right, I have a lot to say.”

“You’re more than welcome to.”

“I don’t need your permission!”

“I know.”

“But you want to do this now?” she asked, angrily. “Fine! Where the hell have you been?!”

“I had to make sure things were safe for you,” he said.

She couldn’t believe that was his only answer. She walked straight up to him, doing her best to get in his face, despite their height difference. “That’s all you have to say to me?! You leave me alone in a hospital, disappear for six months, and that’s the only reason?!”

“Mika…” he began.

She slapped him. She barely even realized that she did it. It was nothing but a reflex; a reaction to all of the anger that had been building up over the past six months. “No! Don’t ‘Mika’ me! You disappeared! You barely even said anything.”

The slap didn’t hurt. He actually expected it. It wasn’t the slap that was painful; it was facing how he left her that did. Truth be told, out of all the things in his life, it was the one thing he still regretted.

She took a few deep breaths, “You barely said anything. ‘I have to go.’ That’s what you told me. Then you left me alone in a hospital bed. You save my life, you protect me, you act like you care about me.” She whispered, “I thought you did.” She raised her voice back to a normal level, “Then you just vanish.”

He stared at her for a long time in silence.

Then she heard something she wasn’t expecting.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

She stared at him, her anger wilted. That simple admission changed the entire atmosphere in the room. And it turned her urge to punch him into a desire to kiss him.

“I didn’t know if you would be safe with me.”

“Don’t give me that,” she said, still retaining some of the anger. “You know it’s over.”

“I didn’t know that at the time. It’s one reason I had to leave. I had to make sure all of the other Clans knew the fight was over. I had to be sure. If they came for you… if they killed you…” He shook his head, “I would’ve never forgiven myself.”

Her anger faded more and more. She exhaled, seeing how difficult that was to admit. “Alright, fine…” She sighed. “This guy… this assassin. How are we going to stop him?”

“That’s a good question. We need to learn more about him first.”

“That’s fair. Let’s just… get some rest tonight and start fresh tomorrow.” She walked past him.

“Mika…” he said.

She stopped.

“I _want_ to talk.”

She looked over her shoulder at him. His admissions were really making all of her anger gradually fall away. “After this is over.”

“That’s fair.”

* * *

In Paris, Shinsuke was at a café, sitting at one of the outside tables and reading a newspaper. A group of children ran by, one of them dropping a folded up piece of paper on his table. Shinsuke took the paper and unfolded it. He read the information and got up from the table.

Shinsuke’s next target had been identified and, apparently, he was now being hunted. He couldn’t help but feel a little elated; knowing that there was someone searching for him always made the hunt more exciting. It even put a small smile on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Okay, sorry for the short chapter here, guys. But trust me: the real crux of the story is about to be underway. I hope guys liked it so far. Thank you for reading and reviewing!


	3. Chapter Three

** Chapter Three **

Raizo awoke that morning with the sun peering through the blinds. He heard the shower going and realized Mika was already awake. He decided to do something for her to help further mend the damage of leaving and got to fixing breakfast for her.

Mika got out of the shower and was drying her hair when the aroma of eggs filled her nostrils. She hadn’t fixed her own breakfast in so long she forgot what that smell coming from her own kitchen was like. She finished getting dressed and walked into the kitchen to see him cooking with his hair pulled back and tied up.

‘ _Oh, that’s just not fair!_ ’ she thought to herself, while trying to maintain her composure. He was just too damn good looking. And domestic to boot. Nothing about that was fair. She saw him smirk all of a sudden while not looking at her, which surprised her. She then realized why: her heart was beating fast. He could hear it. ‘ _Dammit._ ’

He picked up two plates full of food and set them on the table. “Breakfast is ready.”

They both sat down and Mika took one bite of the eggs and she was in heaven. She had to keep herself from moaning but her face gave away everything.

Raizo smiled and picked up a few eggs with his fork. “I knew you would like it.”

Mika looked at him and swallowed. “Alright, fine, you can cook.” She took another bite. She couldn’t get over the taste. “Okay, you can _really_ cook. What did you put in this?”

“Own special recipe.” He smiled. “Something I learned in ninja school.”

She rolled her eyes. “How long are you going to hold on to that?”

“Until I don’t find it funny.”

After finishing their breakfast, Raizo went to go shower and get ready for the day. Mika was cleaning up when she heard the water to the shower stop. She knew she should just continue cleaning up. She should just stay in the kitchen. ‘ _Just stay in the in the kitchen,_ ’ she told herself over and over again.

She hated herself for not listening to her own advice. Or, rather, she knew she would later.

She walked into her bedroom and looked around the corner to see him just putting buttoning up his pants. He wasn’t wearing a shirt and, despite having already dried himself off, he still had a little bit of moisture on him that made him glisten. At least, she thought so.

He was running the towel of his face when he looked and saw her staying him. He smirked. “Should I close the door?”

She wanted to say “yes.” She couldn’t even begin to describe how much, within reason, she wanted to say “yes.” Of course, she wasn’t thinking in reason right now; instead, she just stopped and stared at him. It was like he was chiseled from stone to be a demigod of muscles. Even the number of scars all over his body somehow made him more attractive; she imagined it was because it was proof of what he had been through and survived. She hated the fact that she was falling for the line “chicks dig scars.”

After realizing she was still gawking, she turned around, getting her breath back. “Hurry up and get ready. We need to get going.”

He nodded, “Alright.”

She looked over to get one last look and was almost disappointed when he put a shirt on. She hurriedly left the room to let him finish getting ready. And to get an ice-cold glass of water.

* * *

Maslow was looking over a file when Mika and Raizo walked in. He looked at them and saw Raizo was as cool as ever, but it was Mika who seemed to be a little rattled.

“Dear God,” Maslow said. “Please, tell me you didn’t have a roll in the sack.”

“Oh, my God, Ryan!” Mika shouted, aghast.

Raizo was smiling and looking away. It was one of the few times in his life he had to keep from laughing.

“I’m joking, Mika,” Maslow defended. “But, you have to admit, it was funny.”

“It was,” Raizo agreed.

Mika rolled her eyes. “Do you have any information or not?”

“Yeah.” Maslow walked around his desk, holding a folder. He handed it to her. “Turns out that this particular M.O. isn’t as rare as we thought.”

Mika opened the folder and Raizo looked over shoulder to read the information, as well.

“So far, I’ve come up with a total of 27 killings matching the description stretching back about five years. Most of them businessmen, gang members, cartels, mafia, that sort of thing, all around the world.”

“You didn’t happen to find any 100 pound of gold equivalents, did you?” Mika asked.

“Not a one,” Maslow answered. “But, whoever this is has attracted attention before.”

“From who?”

“One of the station chiefs I had back in Paris five years ago. I got assigned here and we kept in touch. Not a lot, mind you, but enough. He’s a good man, though, and I trust him.” Maslow looked at the file and turned to the page with the agent’s information with a photo attached. “This is him: Dominic Kahler.”

“How do we find him?” Raizo asked.

“I already called him. He’s expecting you to arrive.”

Mika motioned toward Raizo. “Even him?”

Maslow nodded. “Trust me: he’s used to someone like Raizo.”

Raizo smirked. “Asian?”

“Assassin. And I didn’t know you could be such a smartass.”

Mika smirked. “He, actually, does it more than you think.”

“Kinda surprising, actually.” Maslow circled his desk, grabbing files and putting them together.

“What’s the plan here?” Mika asked.

“You two are going to see Kahler,” Maslow explained. “If anyone knows about these murders, it’ll be him. And we got some new intel. While the M.O. has happened before, these have been more recent killings that have happened in the past three months.”

“How many have occurred so far?”

“Four that we know of. Bertrand was number four.”

“Who else?” Mika asked.

Maslow opened a file and placed them on the desk with each name, “Fergus Lennox, killed in his own home via gunshot to the forehead as he was stepping out of the shower. Haywood Devereux had his throat slit from behind while he was getting into his car in a parking garage. Bruce Duncan was gunned down Glasgow while he was crossing the street.”

“No one saw anything? At any killing?”

“A man with a hood was seen walking calmly away from the scene of Duncan’s killing.” Maslow looked at Raizo. “Sound familiar?”

“It’s a common tactic,” Raizo replied. “A hooded jacket is good for concealing your face and most weapons.”

Maslow stared at him in a petrified silence. He cleared his throat. “Moving on. You two are scheduled to be on a plane in three hours to go meet Kahler in Vienna.”

“Why there?” Mika asked.

“Station reassignment. Well, actually, he’s supposed to be retired. I’m sure he’ll come out of it when he hears this.” Maslow sighed, scratching the back of his head, “Won’t that make the higher-ups happy.”

“How many people are in on this, Ryan?”

“Just you and me know about Raizo’s involvement. Kahler will make three. The suits upstairs are happily out of the loop since they only knew an operative, codenamed Heiki, is aiding us. But they want to know when this is wrapped up.”

“Are you confident that we can?” Raizo asked.

“I’ve seen you do things I can’t even begin to explain. Call me an optimist.” Maslow picked up a couple of tickets. He was about to hand the tickets to Mika but pulled them back just before she could grab them. “Do you two promise to play nice?”

“Shut up, Ryan!” Mika snatched the tickets from his hand.

Raizo chuckled. Mika shot him a glare and he put his hands up in defense.

“Let’s go.” She walked out of the office.

Smirking, Raizo looked at Maslow, gave him a nod, which was returned, and followed after her.

* * *

The plane ride to Vienna was nice and comfortable; Mika had the window seat while Raizo sat near the aisle. She had a book she was reading but, every now and again, she would sneak a glance at Raizo’s sleeping face. She remembered the last time she saw him asleep and, like then, she tried to give him his peace but the time apart made it hard not to speak.

Eventually, she couldn’t help it anymore. “You can hear me, can’t you?”

“I told you before,” he answered, not opening his eyes. But he did smile. “Just because I’m asleep, doesn’t mean I can’t hear you. But, this time, I’m resting my eyes.”

She shook her head. “Since you’re awake, can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Do you think this guy is really from one of the Clans?”

He opened his eyes at that. “I know he is.”

“How?” she asked.

He looked at her. “He killed a man in the middle of the day on a crowded street. He killed another at dinner party where all of the lights were on. No one saw his face, no one saw him enter, no one saw him leave. Only the Clans teach that kind of accuracy and stealth.”

“I thought all of you usually operate at night.”

“Most, if not all, do. Committing these crimes in daylight is very difficult. But not impossible.”

“Could you do it?” she asked.

He stopped and thought about the question. “I’m more comfortable with my weapons.” He smirked. “And I do my best work at night.”

There went her heart again. She ignored it and turned into the joke she was hoping he intended it to be. “Are you trying to meet your quota for being a smartass like the first time we met?”

He smirked. “If the jeans fit…”

She groaned. “Shut up! And, once and for all, I _am_ a size 34!”

He just smiled.

She clenched her jaw and looked out of the window. Despite her irritation, she couldn’t help but smile. She felt good having Raizo close and the banter was enjoyable. They were hunting a killer but she couldn’t have felt more secure. Of course, that was because he was one of the best and most skilled killers she had ever met. Even with that knowledge, she felt safe and secure, confident in knowing he’d never use those skills on her.

She knew that he would protect her. He’d never said that out loud but he never had to; there was something in his eyes that told her that. She forgot that in the past six months. But just being near him, she remembered. And, in Raizo’s heart, he would do everything he could to protect her. He didn’t know when he decided it. He just knew that he did.

* * *

After landing in Vienna, the duo headed straight for Kahler’s home. Mika knocked on his door and a man about age 50 opened the door. He was a bit heavyset with a greying beard and balding scalp. Despite his somewhat generous proportions, he didn’t seem like a man who couldn’t hold his own. Raizo could see a quiet fierceness under the surface that façade could deceive anyone else to thinking this was just an older man and an easy target; which, he was anything but.

“Dominic Kahler?” Mika asked.

“Yes?” he replied.

“Mika Coretti. I’m with Europol. Ryan Maslow mentioned we’d be coming by.”

“He did, indeed.” Kahler opened the door further, “Come in, please, Ms. Coretti.”

“Thank you.” Mika looked at Raizo, “And this is…” She thought about using his codename but decided to forgo it. Maslow said they could trust Kahler so she decided to do right away. “This is Raizo. He’ll be assisting us on the case. He’s an expert in this area.”

Raizo gave him a polite head nod and offered a handshake.

“Good to meet you, lad.” Kahler shook his hand. As soon as they shook hands, Kahler could feel something different. He looked Raizo over. “You’re like him… aren’t you?”

“Him?” Raizo asked.

“The Red Shuriken,” Kahler answered as they all stepped inside.

“So, you do know about him,” Mika said.

Kahler closed the door behind them and locked it. “Only too much.”

“What can you tell us?”

“Come with me.” They followed Kahler through his house as he led them to an office toward the back of the house. “You know, everyone thinks that just because you can’t see it, it doesn’t exist. That’s… that’s just human nature. We’ve become so damned smart, we think we know everything.” He walked to a filing cabinet. “But, me? I’ve always been a religious man. Not imposing it, mind you. But I definitely feel that there are things in this life that we can’t see, can’t explain. And will never be able to.”

“I can attest to that,” Mika smiled.

Kahler stared at her for a second then smiled. “I like your smile. It’s honest. One of those rare ones that can brighten a day no matter how bad.”

Raizo nodded. “Agreed.”

Mika blushed a bit at that.

Kahler chuckled. He pulled out a few files and stacked the ones he was looking for on top of his cabinet. “Anyway, I’ve always known there are things in this life I could never explain. But I never thought that I’d see anything like this man.”

“In what way?” Mika asked.

“Maslow told you that these murders have been occurring for how long?”

“Five years.”

“Try ten.”

Raizo came the closest to troubled as Mika had ever seen him. “Ten?” Raizo asked, narrowing his eyes.

“Aye.” Kahler took the stack of files and placed them on his table. He opened the top file on his stack. “Ten years ago, I came across a murder of a man named Edmund Descartes,” he turned it around so they could see it, “murdered in a bank, middle of the day, with a hundred people in the lobby. Someone starts a fire in the men’s bathroom, where Descartes was, and he exits, takes two steps, and a knife appears in his back. The camera catches the knife flying out of the bathroom door and the man who killed him but nothing else.” He pulled a photo from the file of a man wearing a hoodie, dark sunglasses, and a ball cap. “This was all. There is no other footage. Nothing.” He rubbed his forehead. “I never did learn how he did that.” He pulled out another paper. “I learned it was part of a rival mob hit. Problem was… the family that hired the Shuriken… didn’t want to pay up.”

“He killed them,” Raizo surmised.

“With extreme prejudice.” Kahler pulled out another file. “I hope you have strong stomachs. And that you haven’t eaten in while.”

Kahler opened the file that caused Mika to look away immediately as she was not prepared; she looked back and examined the precision and violence of the deaths. Raizo studied the killings, intently, but even was surprised by what he was seeing.

Mika looked through a bit. “My God…”

“Twenty-two in all,” Kahler declared, answering the question that both of them wanted to ask. He pulled out the last picture. “This was the first time he left a shuriken behind. I think it was on accident as he taking out the last enforcer. After this… I got to work hunting this man down.” He spread out of the rest of the files on the table. “For ten years, I hunted down this killer with the only calling card of leaving a red shuriken at the scene of every murder.” He laid out all of the files on the table. “Three years after the first murder, I tracked this man for a year straight, following every possible movement all over the globe. An entire damn year… and I only once ever saw his face.”

Raizo looked up and, for the first time, Mika saw clear and evident surprise on his face.

“He showed his face to you?” Raizo asked, surprised.

“He did more than that, son.” Kahler tugged his shirt down, revealing scar at the base of his neck on the left side. It just missed the jugular vein, wrapped around the collar bone and continued on to his chest. “He gave me this.”

They looked at the scar in shock, Raizo more so than Mika. He’d never known a ninja to willingly let a target survive, least of all give him a memento of the encounter.

Kahler readjusted his clothing, covering the scar. “We were in Madrid. I followed him to a pier, just after he killed another mob boss. I thought I had _him_ cornered on the pier. He didn’t have a weapon when I saw him. But… when I got close, he knocked the gun out of the man and sliced me!” He shook his head. “Sliced me! With a sword! A damned Japanese sword! He could’ve killed me!”

Raizo was so stunned to hear something like this. “Why did he let you live?”

Kahler sighed. “He said he liked my tenacity. He said I kept things interesting.”

Raizo looked through the files as his mind went into a tailspin. His face went more stoic than ever as he slowly shook his head. “This makes no sense.”

“Raizo?” Mika asked.

“The Clans all operate on the same level of secrecy,” Raizo looked at her. “It’s how they live.” He looked at the papers. “He is doing everything we have been told to never do: leaving evidence of his existence, showing his face, the use of guns… it makes no sense. It’s like he wants someone to follow him.”

“That’s exactly what he wants,” Kahler spoke up.

Now, both of them looked up.

“What?” Mika asked.

“How do you know this?” Raizo asked.

“He told me himself,” Kahler answered.

“He what?”

“Told me.” Kahler walked over to his desk and sat down. “When he cut me, he told me that wound wouldn’t kill me. He said that he liked me.” He sighed. “He said… that everything I learn about what he is will only be true to an extent. He’s a mercenary but he wants to prove he’s the best. He lives for the hunt. It’s why I still hunt him. He asked that I keep it up because I make it fun for him.” He rubbed the back of his head. “Bloody, arrogant bastard even told me his name.”

Raizo froze for a moment. “He told you his name?”

“Yeah. And I’ll never forget it. Not that I’m never supposed to. After all, when a man could kill you but let’s you live because he finds you entertaining, the last thing you do? Is forget his name. You _never_ forget the name Shinsuke.”


	4. Chapter Four

** Chapter Four **

The evening of the following day, Raizo, Mika, and Kahler were at the scene of the murder of Bertrand in Paris. Kahler examined the crime scene with an approach not unlike Sherlock Holmes. Even Raizo was impressed with closely he was scrutinizing the crime scene.

Kahler looked up and at the kitchen door. “He entered from there. Probably dressed, unassumingly. Maybe looking like… a man wound up in the wrong room or even a bellhop or a waiter.” He looked up at the windows, where the apparatus of machineguns was rigged. “He probably set that up days before hand.”

“It just fired blanks,” Mika replied.

“To break the windows, scare the guests, and get everyone to duck down.” Kahler shook his head. “Standard tactics of the Red Shuriken: misdirection to isolate a target. He tends to have a… flair for the dramatic.”

Raizo looked at Kahler. “I still can’t believe you know so much about him.”

“Comes with the territory of hunting him down.” Kahler sighed and scratched the top of his head. “What did our dead friend have on him?”

Mika checked the report. “Standard personal effects: wallet, keys, his cell phone. Nothing out of the usual.”

Kahler looked around. “We need his phone. It might have information we can use. This isn’t over.”

“What makes you say that?” Raizo asked.

“Shinsuke uses a different method to signal when his kills are complete.”

Mika almost hated to ask this question but did anyway, “And that is?”

“He outlines a red shuriken near his last victim,” Kahler replied.

Mika swallowed. “Using… what?” She somehow knew the answer.

Kahler sighed. He looked around then at her. “The blood of his last victim.”

Mika shuddered at that notion while Raizo kept a stone face, but that was only to hide the fact that he was as disturbed as Mika was.

They went to the city morgue where the late Harcourt Bertrand was now residing. Kahler examined the body and shook his head. “Poor bastard. He never stood a chance.” He looked at Mika and Raizo. “Ya know, I’ve always had a name for Shinsuke’s targets.”

They looked at him, curiously.

“D.O.A.”

One of the police officers came in the room and left a bag of Bertrand’s personal effects with them. Mika and Raizo looked through the belongings and their hands touched his phone at the same time, causing Mika to still her breathing to get over the feeling of touching Raizo. She hated this feeling but he nodded and presented her the phone.

Mika took Bertrand’s cell phone and started scrolling through it. “This may be something.”

“What is it?” Raizo looked over her shoulder.

“He was sending a lot of texts and made a lot of calls to the same person. Talking about some deal. That’s a constant in all of the text messages.”

“Who did he send it to?” Kahler asked.

“The name that comes up is Jason Coward.”

Kahler looked at the corpse. “Might be the next target.” He looked at the duo. “At the very least, we need to find him. See what he knows.”

Mika pulled out her own cell phone and called Maslow, wanting to track down the name of Jason Coward.

After explaining the situation, Maslow exhaled in disbelief. “ _Coward?_ ”

“Yeah,” Mika answered.

“ _God,_ _Mika, are you kidding me? He’s a damn British national._ ”

“We just need to talk to him.”

“ _Bloody hell,_ ” Maslow groaned. “ _Alright. I’ll call you back in a few._ ”

Mika hung up. “He’s gonna look into him.”

Kahler nodded, “Right. We best be movin’ on, then.” They put the items back then headed for the exit of the morgue. “Did Maslow ever start greying?”

Mika giggled. “A little.”

“Good. Pompous arse used to insult all of my greys. Said I was too old to be in the field. Told him before I was done on this Earth, I’d see him with grey hair.”

“You’ll get your chance.”

“Looking forward to it.”

They made it outside of the hospital where the morgue was situated when Mika’s phone rang.

“Yeah, Ryan?” she answered.

“ _Alright,_ ” Maslow replied, “ _I got him. But he’s already checked out of his hotel._ ”

“Where is he?”

“ _He’s heading for the airport. He has a flight scheduled to leave in about 90 minutes._ ”

Mika checked her watch. “If we’re gonna get to him, we have to go now.”

“ _Mika, tread lightly,_ ” Maslow warned. “ _I don’t need this to be an international incident._ ”

“I think that ship sailed.” Mika hung up before he could retort.

* * *

The investigators drove through the city streets of Paris, trying to find Jason Coward. Mika used her influence to find out the kind of car that Coward was renting and to find out which hotel he was staying at. They drove through the city streets, heading for Coward’s hotel in hopes of intercepting him. Mika was at the wheel and kept her eyes open for Coward, Kahler kept his eyes out for Shinsuke, and Raizo kept his eyes on everything. The dark skinned woman kept driving until they came to a cross street. Mika looked and saw Coward a few cars back on the street in front of them, just passing the intersection.

“There he is,” Mika said, getting Raizo and Kahler’s attention.

Getting in the same lane as Coward after the light change, Mika followed after him as close as she could without alarming him. They weren’t too far from the airport now and they were about five cars behind him, stopped at a traffic light.

“Probably best to catch him right at the airport,” Mika suggested. “If we let him know we’re Europol, he’ll be more likely to talk to us. Won’t have to get into big mess.”

“You’ve got a sharp brain and a calm head on you,” Kahler remarked. “Europol needs more like you.”

“I try.”

When the light changed and the first car started to cross the intersection, a truck ran the light and hit the car, catching it right across the front bumped and causing a pile up.

“Anyone else think that timing was a little too perfect?” Mika asked.

“He’s here!” Kahler grunted out.

Raizo got out of the car right away.

“Raizo!” Mika opened the car door and got out, “Where are you going?”

Raizo didn’t hear Mika. He decided to get to Coward, now. If this assassin was here, that meant Coward was marked for death. Raizo was about to Coward’s car when he saw someone wearing a hood, suddenly, standing by the driver side door of Coward’s car. Raizo was taken by surprise for only a second by this and, before he could react, the hooded man drew a gun with a silencer and fired three times into the car. Raizo growled and ran at the man. He kicked the man’s arm, taking the assailant by surprise and forcing the gun out of his hands. Raizo looked and saw that Coward was already dead, three perfect shots to the head.

Raizo looked at the hooded man. Though his full face was obscured by the hood, Raizo caught an elated smile on the man’s face. The hooded man picked up his gun and took off running, Raizo giving chase until they came to an alley nearly a mile from the accident scene. When arrived at the alley, Raizo knew he followed this man to correct direction but saw no sign of his quarry. He carefully walked down the alley, scanning the area to look for anything that shouldn’t be there and for anything that should be but isn’t. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary and that made him even more cautious.

Raizo jumped back just as knife went for his jugular. He fought off his assailant, kicking him back. His attacker looked up, revealing his face.

A man of Asian pedigree; Japanese as far as Raizo could tell. He had jet black hair in the same length and almost identical style as Raizo’s. He had fine features, leading Raizo to imagine that they were about the same age, but his most distinguishing mark was a prominent scar on the left side of his face, extending next to his mouth down to his jawline.

‘ _Shinsuke,_ ’ Raizo thought, steading his breathing as they stared each other down.

Shinsuke smiled. “Not bad. Good kick.” He stood to his full height, which matched Raizo’s.

In the back of his mind, Raizo was starting to feel the beginnings of being unnerved by all of the similarities.

“For you to even hear me… you didn’t jump back in fear. You were ready for that.” Shinsuke looked Raizo over. “What Clan are you from?”

Raizo said nothing. He did, however, remove his _kyoketsu-shoge_ from behind his back.

“Not many of us out here outside of the Clans.” Shinsuke looked around. “And you don’t have any backup.” He smiled and looked at Raizo, then cocking his head to the side. “You know… I have my allies who still speak with the other Clans and there was a rumor among them… about a rogue who Ozunu was after. Then… six months ago, this rogue led a revolt against Ozunu and killed him and everyone at his compound. One ninja… extinguished an entire Clan. You’re that ninja, aren’t you?” He thought for a second, trying to remember his name. His eyes brightened. “Raizo.”

Raizo’s surprise when it came to Shinsuke seemed to be never ending.

Shinsuke chuckled, “It _is_ you! Oh, I must say it’s an honor! I am in the presence of a legend! The man who killed Ozunu. I believe congratulations are in order for that kill. Please, do me the honor of allowing me to introduce myself before we begin!” He bowed like a Broadway performer, “Shinsuke.” He looked at Raizo. “Infamously, though ironically enough anonymously, known as the Red Shuriken. Killer extraordinaire.” He stood up straight. “But look who I’m talking to. You know all about that, don’t you?” He chuckled. “I need you to know that I never cared for him. Ozunu, I mean. Throughout history, the Ozunu Clan always reached too far. Overplaying their hand, thinking they were better than everyone else. Someone had to put them down. I always thought of doing it myself but you beat me to it.” He shrugged, “But if I beat you… it’s like beating the old man. What do you think?”

Raizo remained silent, preparing to strike with his _kyoketsu-shoge_.

Shinsuke sighed. “All business, huh? I’m not surprised.” He, slowly, moved back a bit. “You know the problem with you Ozunu children? You follow the old ways too closely.” He pulled out his pistol. “Me?” He aimed at Raizo. “I love the new ways.”

Shinsuke opened fire and Raizo dodged the bullets. Raizo swung his _kyoketsu-shoge_ at lightning speed, knocking the gun out of Shinsuke’s hand. Raizo went for another strike with the blade, but Shinsuke used a nearby trash can lid to catch the blade and got his hands around the chain, yanking Raizo forward. When Raizo was close enough, Shinsuke kicked him across the face. Shinsuke pulled the _kyoketsu-shoge_ out of Raizo’s grasp, tossed it down the alley, and entered into hand-to-hand combat with Raizo.

It had been a long time since Raizo had fought anyone hand to hand and even longer since he faced such a worthy opponent. Raizo swung a hard, fast fist but Shinsuke deflected it and punched Raizo in the chest and gut in blindingly rapid succession. Shinsuke jumped and kicked Raizo in the chest, knocking him back. Raizo recovered and charged in again.

After a furious exchange, Shinsuke slammed Raizo into the wall, bending Raizo’s left arm and pinning it against his back. “Why are you fighting me, Ozunu? What’s this about? Do you disapprove of what I’m doing? We both used to do this work! It’s a contract! And those people are targets! Nothing more! You think we’re so different?! We’re not! Only difference is you were foolish enough to challenge one of the Nine Clans. Me? I simply _walked away!_ ”

Raizo used his right arm to elbow Shinsuke in the side of the head then used to the wall to propel him into a kick. Shinsuke stumbled back, caught Raizo’s next kick, and threw him into a wall.

“You wanted revenge,” Shinsuke continued. “I know the story.”

Raizo tried to get up but Shinsuke deflected his attacks and kicked him in the gut, sending him down the alley a bit.

“I always wanted to ask: why didn’t you kill her? The kunoichi that Ozunu ordered you to execute? Who was she to you?”

Raizo remained silent.

Shinsuke searched his eyes. “It wasn’t her… was it? No, it was something else. Something… that was the final straw. A shadow like you doesn’t just break all of a sudden. Something causes a crack in your armor. Something… soul shattering.”

Raizo jumped and charged in again. Shinsuke side-stepped all of Raizo’s attacks and kneed Raizo in the gut then kicked him the leg, to knock him off balance and punch him in the side of the head followed by Shinsuke grabbing a handful of Raizo’s hair and slamming him into the wall. This left Raizo dazed and weakened, more than he ever wanted to admit. He also couldn’t admit that Shinsuke’s words got in his head. He couldn’t admit it because, aside from Ozunu and Takeshi, it had never happened before.

Shinsuke was breathing hard; this fight being much more difficult than he expected. He loved it. “There was a hunt… years ago. For some girl. A girl who ran from Ozunu. He sent out a call to have her brought back. If any of the Clans found her, she was to be returned so he could deal with her himself.” He looked to side, “Ah! What was her name?” He pondered until he looked back at his opponent. “Kiriko.”

Despite his fatigue, Raizo’s eyes betrayed nothing but his breath shuddered for a second.

And that was all Shinsuke needed. “So, that’s it. You failed one girl… and betrayed Ozunu to save another.” He smiled. “That must’ve haunted Ozunu, which is why he hunted you like he did. He wanted you dead above all else. Not only did you betray him… you got away with it. To add further insult to the rather impressive injury you gave him to begin with, you killed him. I can imagine even in Hell he is cursing you.” He laughed. “Those old bastards. They just can’t let go of a grudge, can they?”

Raizo charged at him again but Shinsuke just smirked, side-stepped him once again, and slashed him in the side of the abdomen with a hidden blade. Raizo grunted and stumbled against the wall, pressing hands over the wound. Raizo slid down to the ground as he bled, trying to get his breathing under control.

“Temper, temper, Raizo,” Shinsuke snickered. “Bet you never thought you’d hear that, huh?” He stood over Raizo, “Don’t worry, Ozunu. I don’t plan on killing you. Not yet, anyway. You’re just too much fun. And you’re finally an opponent worthy of my skill. That makes this contract… so very interesting.”

Kahler and Mika arrived at the scene with their guns drawn. Mika’s eyes went wide when she saw that Raizo was bleeding. It reminded her of that fateful night at the bunker. She never wanted to relive that again.

“Shinsuke!” Kahler shouted.

Shinsuke smiled and turned around. “Dominic! So glad you’re up and about. It’s been about two years since I’ve seen you last. I was hoping you hadn’t been put in a retirement home or anything like that. Not an old bull like you.”

Kahler blinked. “I wasn’t on your trail two years ago.”

“No, but I looked in on you. I had to make sure that you weren’t dead.”

Kahler groaned, quietly. He took better aim with his pistol. “You’re coming with us.”

“Mmm. Not likely.” Shinsuke looked at Raizo. “But this does, at least, explain what the _Hanta Kirra_ is doing here. You must’ve called him. Or someone put you in touch with him. Either way, it doesn’t matter.” He looked back at Kahler. “Think you’ve finally got me, do you? After all these years, you thought you’d have one ninja to catch the other? Is that how it worked?”

Kahler said nothing.

Shinsuke sighed in a disappointment. “You used to love witty banter. Such a shame. All these years have made you bitter. You should really take a vacation.” He took notice of Mika, more so of her concerned expression. He followed her gaze down to Raizo and looked back at her. He smiled. “Interesting.” He looked back at Raizo. “She’s not one of the Clan…”

Raizo bared his teeth at him.

“…but I can see you care for her, all the same. And the same is true on the other end.”

Raizo was silently seething. He would’ve got up to attack him if it wasn’t for the bleeding gash in his gut.

“So, you failed the first girl… but you saved a second one.” Shinsuke looked at Mika, “Honestly, beautiful, the odds are neither in nor against your favor.” He looked back at Raizo. “I guess that makes you the determining factor. As always. It leaves one curious as to whether you keep her alive like the second girl… or will she die at a ninja’s hand like Kiriko did to Takeshi.”

Mika’s eyes went even wider. ‘ _How does he know these names?_ ’

Shinsuke turned back around. “I’ll give you a reprieve, for now, Dominic. But do know that we will be seeing each other very soon. Until then…” He quickly drew a backup pistol, a Walther P88, and fired at Mika and Kahler to force them to duck. Once they lowered themselves out of the projected path of the bullets, he quickly made his escape, picking up his first gun as he left.

Mika looked up immediately and saw nothing but a bleeding Raizo sitting on the ground. She ran to his side to check on him. “Raizo? Raizo!”

Raizo took a breath and looked at her. “I’m alright.” He looked around. “He’s gone.”

Kahler looked and saw a red shuriken stuck in the wall. “And this isn’t over.”


	5. Chapter Five

** Chapter Five **

Maslow was already at the crime scene when Mika and Kahler came back to the area. He already coordinated with the local police to cordon off the area and to begin an investigation.

Maslow looked at them, relieved, “Thank God! I didn’t know where you two were!”

“We had a run-in with the Shuriken,” Mika said.

Maslow exhaled in disbelief then looked at Kahler. “He _is_ real.”

Kahler nodded.

Maslow exhaled and ran his hands over his face. “Bloody hell…” He looked around. “Where’s… Heiki?”

“Healing himself,” Mika answered.

Maslow was about to ask what she was talking about he knew better. He shook his head. “Alright.” He looked around. “God, what the hell happened here?!”

“The Red Shuriken caused the accident,” Kahler explained. “He did this and killed Coward.”

“He caused a traffic accident?”

“You know a better way to isolate a target who’s in a car on a street?”

Maslow rubbed his temples. “Alright, too much! What now?”

“There was some kind of connection between Bertrand and Coward and other murders,” Mika explained. “Heiki said that Shinsuke mentioned a contract. We have to find the link. This isn’t over yet.”

Maslow nodded, “Right.” He looked around, “Right.” He looked back at them. “I’m going to set all of you up at a hotel for the night. Get some rest and I’ll see what I can dig up.”

“Start with any connection these guys may have to each other. I’d look for a connection with all of the recent killings.”

“Why?”

“Shinsuke said that he has a contract,” Mike explained. “And, this many bodies in this small amount of time? They have to had known each other. Nothing else makes sense.”

“Unless they were targets for something else,” Kahler pointed out. “And he has separate contracts.”

“Either way, we need to know how they are connected and why they’re starting to turn up dead.”

Maslow nodded, “Alright.” He sighed, staring at Mika. “I’d usually have you on this kind of thing but I want you to get some rest tonight.”

“Sure you can handle it without me?” Mika asked.

“I did have a job before you got here.”

“You were never any good at it,” Kahler mused.

“Shut it! For now, you get Heiki and stay out of sight. Leave a little of the grunt work to me for now, eh?”

They nodded in agreement.

* * *

Shinsuke walked through the parking garage, stopping at his car. He smiled. It had been so long since he had anyone hunt him who was worth it. Let alone a former _Hanta Kirra_ , the man who killed Ozunu. This was all very exciting. Maybe, now, he finally had an opponent worth fighting. ‘ _Still, business before pleasure._ ’ With the next name on his list down, it was time to check in with his employer and see what more needed to be done. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed.

When the other end answered, he simply said. “Coward is dead. But we have some new players in the game. I’m coming to you so we can talk.”

He sat and listened to his client.

“I know what I said. But this is a very important development. And it is very much worth breaching the protocol of seeing my clients face to face more than once.”

Silence again.

“What could be so important, you ask.” He smiled. “I’ll tell you more when I see you. Also, I hope you have the name of my next target ready. The game is finally interesting, and I want to keep it going.” He ended the call. He fished his cigarette carton out of his pocket, pulled one out of the box, and lit it. He exhaled. “Oh, what fun!”

* * *

Later on that night, the team was at the hotel as Maslow went about sorting out any connection between the targets. While Kahler got some sleep in his own room, Mika sat on her bed, her mind racing about the events of the night. Shinsuke’s smile, the words he spoke, and the look in Raizo’s eyes told her that, for once since she met him, there was a real crack in Raizo’s armor. And that worried her. She’d never known him to show those kinds of wounds. After all, after they first met and the attack in the bunker, Raizo was bleeding from every visible surface after being assaulted by his former Clan and he was still making jokes, even smiling. This was something worse than any physical pain he had ever been through.

Against her better judgment, Mika decided to go to Raizo’s room to check on him. He had already healed up most of his injuries at the sight of the fight, but she wanted to make sure.

That was the lie she told herself.

The truth was she really wanted to talk. She determined she’d admit that to herself after she admitted it to him.

* * *

Raizo glanced over his wounds in the bathroom mirror to make sure there was no lasting damage. He knew there wouldn’t be, though; none of those attacks were meant to kill him. Shinsuke was toying with him. Raizo blinked and realized it was worse than that: Shinsuke was testing him, seeing if he was worthy of the fight. Raizo felt insulted but, in truth, what he hated worse was the fact that he knows that Shinsuke let him live. But the most disturbing event the encounter proved was Shinsuke had another even more dangerous ability: he was a master of mind games and a well-informed one, at that.

Shinsuke got inside Raizo’s head and Raizo let him. One mention of Kiriko and the Ozunu Clan and Raizo was taken off of his game. Raizo knew he couldn’t let that happen a second time. He would be killed for sure; Shinsuke didn’t seem the type to allow that kind of weakness a second time. But the encounter was proof of something Raizo questioned for a long time. Now, he had his answer.

The past still hurt. Raizo had resolved most of his past when he killed Ozunu. But he knew that that wasn’t where it ended.

Raizo heard a knock at his door. Still wearing his jeans from earlier, he slid on a white tank top and went to the door. He opened it to find Mika standing there. He was surprised to see her and, for once, he couldn’t hide that fact.

“Hi,” she greeted.

“Hi,” he replied.

“Can I come in?”

He nodded and moved out of the way so she could enter, closing the door behind him.

She walked into the room and sighed. “How are you feeling?”

“Just fine.”

“That’s good.” She turned and looked at him, “Can… we talk?”

He nodded, ignoring her earlier request to wait until this was over to have any kind of discussion.

The truth was she hadn’t forgotten, either. But she couldn’t get this is out of her mind. She felt a resolution needed to happen before this mission went any further. She sat down in a chair in the room while he sat on the bed.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“I’ll recover fine.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

“I know.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you lose to one person before.”

“I have. Just not in a long time.” He leaned over, clasping his hands together. “He did something that no one has been able to do in a long time.”

“And that is?” she asked.

“Get in my head. He used my past against me. No one has been able to do that save Takeshi and Ozunu.”

“And all of those names?”

“Apparently, he’s… extremely well informed. He must speak with other Clans to know anything about me.”

“So… everything he said…”

“Was the truth,” he completed.

She nodded, understandingly. Then decided to tackle the elephant in the room. “So… the girl that Shinsuke mentioned…”

He looked down a little at that. It hadn’t escaped him that Shinsuke mentioned her. Despite the secrecy, it was only mildly surprising Shinsuke knew about Kiriko’s abandonment. When ninjas desert a Clan, that Clan could request for others to help secure that the missing ninja was returned. As a universal rule, desertion was very much frowned upon.

“Kiriko… right?” Mika asked.

Her question brought Raizo back to reality. Yet, he didn’t answer. Something was stopping him; an emotion he was unfamiliar with. Apprehension.

“Was she the reason you left the Ozunu Clan?”

“She was one reason,” Raizo answered.

“Was she the main reason?” Mika asked.

He gazed into her eyes. But he had to look away. It was starting to be too much. And it was only too much because it was Mika asking him. This was a night of firsts for him.

But she didn’t need him to answer. She knew a “yes” when saw one, even one coming from Raizo. And that bothered her. “So… she was killed by the Clan for what? What did she do?”

He looked back at her. “She ran away.”

“Like you did?”

He gave a slight nod.

“But she didn’t get far.”

He exhaled as the memory of that whole incident came back. “They brought her back. Takeshi killed right before my eyes.” He shook his head. He couldn’t believe that this was still a difficult memory. “I didn’t do anything to stop it.”

“And you couldn’t make that mistake a second time,” she surmised.

“No. I couldn’t.”

So much finally made sense. “She… must’ve been important to you, then… right?”

“Yes,” he answered.

“Like… a good friend?”

He paused at that. “Yes.”

She then moved on to the most difficult question of all. “Did you love her?”

He looked at her in silence.

“Did you?”

He’d never been asked that before. Not by anyone else, anyway. He asked himself that question a hundred, even a thousand, times since that day. He did finally arrive at answer and, even now, it still surprised him what that answer was. His eyes fell away from Mika and he sighed. He whispered, quietly, “…yes…”

She heard him loud and clear. And she wished she hadn’t. That hurt her. It cut her deep. Ozunu’s sword through her chest was nothing compared to this. She couldn’t explain, logically, why that hurt so much. The pain was so great that she didn’t even think about what she saying next. She just opened her mouth and spoke, “So… I guess you can feel something for someone. Just not me.”

That did it. Raizo had had enough. Not many things made him angry but that was one thing that really did it. It was bad enough that Shinsuke just beat him to near death and, practically, let him live to get a better challenge out of him. But now, he was being accused by the one person he had come to care for since Kiriko that he didn’t care about her. His face didn’t show it but his blood was boiling. He exhaled a gust of hot breath from his nostrils and looked at Mika, his eyes as hard as the steel he wielded.

“You think… I feel nothing for you?” Raizo asked.

Raizo’s tone shocked Mika. He didn’t raise his voice. With all the power he breathed out, he didn’t have to. She couldn’t even respond immediately. She opened her mouth, “I… just…”

“You think I don’t care about you?”

She started to breathe, normally. “I don’t know. When you left, I didn’t know what to think. I thought you cared… but you left.”

“I’ve told you why.”

“Yeah, now. But that doesn’t just go away, alright?” She shook her head. “When you left… I thought I would never see you again and that terrified me. And… and it hurt me.” She exhaled, “I know that doesn’t make any sense since we haven’t known each other that long but… it hurt me, Raizo. I thought you didn’t care.”

He stared at her in total silence until he spoke the truest sentence he ever said, “I care more about than I have cared about anyone in my life.”

There was something she didn’t expect.

“I left to protect you. I left to keep you safe, to make sure that you would be alright if…” He realized that he was about to say something that he didn’t know that he wanted to say.

“If what?”

But he wanted to say it. Because it was what he wanted. “If I came back.”

That nearly floored her. “You wanted to come back.”

“Don’t pretend like you didn’t know that.”

“I didn’t!”

“You didn’t want to believe it.”

She jumped to her feet, “You left me like I was another contact, like I was just some tool for you to use to get Ozunu! Once you were done with me, you were _gone!_ How was I supposed to feel?! Was I supposed to know that you cared? Was I supposed to know I was more than just some useful to help you?!” She stopped, getting her breath back after that marathon. “How was I supposed to know you ever cared about me?”

He stared into her eyes, not saying anything. He now saw inside her heart, completely and truly. He hurt her. He never meant to do that and he never wanted to. “You’re right.”

She gasped, silently. She wasn’t used to hearing that; she lived in a world where people hated to admit that they were wrong and would sooner die than do so. But, then again, this is Raizo. The limit to how different he was from everyone else was immeasurable.

He stood up, towering over her again but, as usual when it came to her, in a nonthreatening fashion. Despite the stinging in his body from healing his injuries, this needed to be resolved. “I’m not used to having someone waiting for me, Mika. Everything I learned about to feel about a person… I learned from Kiriko. She taught me that I even had a heart anymore.” He paused to reminisce. “She even taught me it could speak, reminded me that I was more than a heiki, a weapon. When she died, I thought that part of me died, too. That’s why I stopped Ozunu when he told me to kill the other kunoichi. I didn’t save Kiriko… and I couldn’t betray her again. Not when I could do something about it.”

Hearing most of his life and history put him in a whole different light. She always saw his strength, his power, his speed. She even saw the scars but not these scars, the ones over his heart.

He ran his hand over his face, letting the painful memory pass through his mind. “After the Clan, I had contacts who only used me for what I knew; in exchange, I did the same to them. I lived like a ghost and that’s how I felt. All I had… was my revenge. You… you were the closest thing to making me feel like I was more than a weapon in a long time.” He averted her gaze. “I thought I was doing the right thing… by leaving you alone. I never learned how to care about how other people feel. Only one other person ever cared about me and I watcher die. Stood by and did nothing.” He looked back at her. “I couldn’t let that happen to you. I wanted to keep you safe.” He exhaled. “But I was never trying to hurt you. Not then, not now. Not ever. I was wrong. I’m sorry, Mika. For ever hurting you, I am so sorry.”

She could see how strongly he meant that. He hadn’t raised his voice or acted too overly dramatic but he was serious all the same. In fact, she could see he was more serious than he had ever been. She bit her bottom lip and exhaled. “Apology accepted.”

He nodded, slightly.

She decided to take a small risk and see if it paid off. “As far as… learning how to care about other people feel, here’s a hint…” She lifted up and placed a small, soft kiss on his lips. “When a woman cares about you and you care about her, you say something before you leave. You tell her you care, so she doesn’t spend six months wondering whether or not she ever mattered to you.” She stopped. “So, she can be stupid and admit that she actually fell in love with a damn ninja.”

He sighed. “I already knew.”

‘ _He knows,_ ’ she thought to herself. ‘ _Well, of course, he knew. He could figure out everything else, why not that?_ ’ She looked away. “And you left anyway…”

“I was trying to keep you safe.” He cupped her chin with his hand. “Because all I cared about… was protecting you.”

“Was that… all you cared about?”

He shook his head, “No.” He stopped. “I care about you… because there was one thing I thought I could never feel again… and I feel it for you.”

They leaned closer and, soon, their lips met. Not from anger, not from fear, not from convenience. But from desire. Pure, unbridled desire. It was making the room very hot. And for these two, who had spent more of their lives never feeling heat like this, it was getting harder and harder to resist.

They broke the kiss, both of them taking a sharp inhale.

Mika was in a stupor, whispering, “Raizo…”

“I love you, Mika,” he said, quietly.

Her eyes went wide. She was almost positive she heard him wrong. “What?”

“I love you.”

She saw that he meant that. Her heart was going a million beats per minute.

“I told your heart is special.” He shook his head. “I didn’t know how much. Until… even when I wasn’t with you… all I could hear… was your heart beat.” He stared at her. “All I wanted… was to hear it again.”

Her breath came out short again. “You can hear it now.” Even she could hear it right now, as fast as her pulse was speeding up.

“Yes.” He smirked. “It’s even speaking to me.”

She almost giggled. “Speaking?”

He nodded. “Listen.” He leaned down to her chest, pressing his ear against it.

She blushed, immediately. It was getting more and more difficult to get a deep breath of air. This room was really getting hot. And she was really starting to like it.

He smiled. “It’s saying that I was a fool for ever leaving. But it’s really glad that I’m here.”

She closed her eyes, feeling intoxicated by his scent and the heat from his body. “Can I try?” She opened her eyes as he stood up straight. She stared into his eyes for a second then pressed her ear to his chest. She smiled at his heartbeat, noticing how fast it was going. “If I’m hearing this right… it’s saying that it’s happy to be here.” She looked back at him. “And… that you really do love me.”

“I do.”

He was here. After all this time, he was finally back. They had other things to concern themselves with. But, she decided, to hell with that. She stopped fighting the emotions she had been feeling for him for the past six months and more. She lived chaste for a long time and she refused to hold back with the man she was in love with for one second longer. At this point, consequences be damned.

She kissed him. Hard. When she realized he was matching the intensity she was giving, she kissed him harder, causing them to both to inhale sharply. Raizo was surprised by Mika’s sudden fervor but he was not complaining at all. She started to force his shirt off and he was more than happy to help her by quickly throwing it off, only stopping their kissing for a few seconds before resuming just as patiently. He started to remove her blouse with just as much enthusiasm; she helped him get rid of it quickly.

They stopped to get a breath and she looked and stared at all of his scars, always amazed at what he had survived. It even made her admire him more. And want him even more. He was entranced by her flawless, smooth skin with the only imperfection being the scar on her chest where Ozunu stabbed her. To know that she survived something like that, made him all the more impressed by her, by her strength.

They stared at each other, both wanting to confirm that this is what the other wanted.

“Mika…” he whispered in a husky voice. He paused for a long time. Every part of him screamed to be with her but he wasn’t sure if was truly the right thing to do.

She answered for him, whispering, longingly, “I love you, Raizo.” She shook her head. “I want this. I want you.” She smirked. “Don’t keep a woman like me waiting.”

He smiled but nodded and kissed her again. That was all the answer she could give and it was all the answer he needed.

They didn’t share anymore words, save for calling out the other’s names in the middle of their passion. It was more than just lust that had them, it was something inside of them both had kept buried for a long time. They were relieved they didn’t have to hold it back anymore. They were far more relieved they had the person they had wanting for the past six months back in their lives.

Shinsuke was still out there but they would stop him soon enough.

Right now, they wanted each other. And nothing was stopping them.


	6. Chapter Six

** Chapter Six **

2:04 AM found Mika and Raizo lying in bed together, having put the seal on their new relationship. Her head was nestled on his chest, tracing all of the scars she could reach and studying each one. She wanted to know them all; they were a part of him and she wanted to know all of him. He was staring into space, his hand on her hip as he did best to process this new development in his life. He could feel her hand outlining his healed-over wounds and it relaxed him in a way he never thought possible.

“You have so many scars,” she whispered, almost absentmindedly.

“More than I care to count again,” he replied, just as lost in his own mind.

“Any of them more painful than the others?”

There was a question he never considered before. “Only the older ones.” He paused. “The ones no one can see hurt the most.”

She traced the one he received the night he faced Takeshi and the _Hanta Kirra_ when they stormed the bunker where Raizo was held captive by Maslow under the order of his superiors. “How does someone live through this… and stay sane?”

He was quiet for a long time as her question was another he hadn’t considered. “Staying sane was harder to manage.”

“What kept you going through all of that?”

He had to take time to think again; she was asking amazing questions. “Before… I thought it was just the revenge that I wanted against Ozunu. To end him and the Clan. But… more and more I realized… it was that I wanted to find a life… after he was gone. I had to escape the horrors of what I was before. I had to be free of that.”

“Is that why everything Shinsuke said bothered you?” she asked.

Raizo didn’t want to admit to that fragility. But, for Mika, he could. “Yes.”

She was silent for a while. He was worried that he finally said that one thing that would make her seem his as weak.

“I can understand that,” she declared.

He looked at her, curiously.

She traced her finger along his abs. “Your whole life… it was death. That was the life you were raised in. To end lives. To kill. You were like another child soldier. Ozunu tried to take your humanity away. Turn into a weapon to kill when he said and have no soul, no heart of your own.” She traced her hand up to his heart. “But you… you didn’t stay that way. You didn’t become what Ozunu wanted. You didn’t stay a weapon. A tool for him to use.” She looked him in the eye. “Just us… here… proves that. You are so much more than what he tried to turn you into.” She traced the scar that Shinsuke had given him hours ago. “It’s why anything Shinsuke said affected you. Because you’re not a weapon. You’re a man. Every man has his vulnerable areas. The strong man, the wise man just knows how to overcome them and work around them.” She got lost in his eyes for a moment. “You know where those areas are now. And you’re stronger than any man I’ve met. You will overcome them.”

He exhaled the breath he didn’t realize he was holding. She understood him. She saw through his exterior, down to the roots of the weakness that even escaped him at times. And she loved him and believed in him all the same. He couldn’t fathom her in the least. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For you.”

She nestled back against his chest and his put his arm around her shoulders, stroking her shoulder with his thumb.

“Can I ask the obvious question?” she whispered.

He looked down at her.

“Where do we go from here? After we catch Shinsuke?”

He exhaled. “I don’t know. This is all… so new to me.”

“I understand,” she said.

“That being said…”

She looked at him.

“I want to try… to keep being more.” He was surprised himself when he realized it. He looked at her, “Mika, I want to try. I can’t know how I’ll react in your life… but I want to try. I want to try for you.”

“You really mean that.”

“I won’t make any promises… except to love you the best I can.”

She smiled. “I’ll take it.” They kissed again, ignoring the issue with Shinsuke a little while longer.

* * *

Maslow was going over some files when Mika, Raizo, and Kahler walked into his temporary office in the Europol Paris branch. He looked up at them and started putting folders on the table, “So, you have to hear this. I think I know what this is about.”

They gathered around the table while Maslow pulled out paper after paper.

“From Mika’s advice, I checked to see if there was anything that tied these recent killings together.”

“I was right?” Mika asked.

“Not the first time.” Maslow looked at Raizo. “Proof of that is standing next to you.”

Raizo chuckled, quietly.

“So, thirteen years ago, all of the men killed sat on the board of Studson International.”

“They went belly up after their stock crashed,” Mika remembered.

“Right,” Maslow said. “Those board members bollixed up their own Ponzi schemes and everyone came calling for their money. They pissed off the wrong rich people.”

Mika cocked her head to the side. “This is about revenge over a Ponzi scheme?”

Kahler shook his head, “I don’t buy that for a minute.”

“Neither did I,” Maslow admitted. “So, I did some more digging. A lot of people were implicated, some went to prison, and it turns out only one man was completely cleared of all charges.” He pulled out a photograph. “Former CEO Tristin Atkins.”

“He’s on the board in Abrams Steel, now,” Mika informed. “I saw a report where he stands to make a killing in the company once he takes over as CEO.”

“We’re thinking he’s behind the assassination of his old partners?” Kahler asked.

“That’s my theory,” Maslow answered.

“If you’re right, why would he risk hiring an assassin to kill off old business partners?”

“Maybe they knew how he was keeping himself in the game in Abrams and out of handcuffs from what happened with Studson. Any new evidence that could bring up new, fresh, and damning charges on him would send him straight to prison and cost him everything.”

Kahler gave an understanding nod. “You can prove this?”

“Of course, I can’t, you old bastard.” Maslow smiled.

Kahler chuckled.

“If I could, I’d already have Atkins here in handcuffs. Or, at least, in for questioning.”

“So, what makes you think he was behind it?”

“Too long in this game and you know it. But look at this.” Maslow pulled out more documents. “All of the cases for Studson were settled out of court and Atkins got away scot-free. The ‘official’ story was that he had no idea about what his partners were up to and the money he had from that was never recovered.”

Kahler nodded, “Alright, that’s suspicious.”

“Right. Besides… all of them are dying and he isn’t next?”

Kahler shrugged. “We don’t know that he isn’t.”

“That’s why we need to find out,” Maslow said. “Watching him close is dangerous because who can prepare for the Shuriken? But we can do the best we can in the meantime.”

“Not a bad plan.”

Mika looked through all of the files, briefly. “You put all this together by yourself, Ryan?” She smiled. “I’m impressed.”

Maslow threw his hands in the air. “I would appreciate if someone, here, could realize I _can_ do things by myself.”

Raizo shrugged, “You did contact me.”

Maslow pointed at Raizo in an appreciative way. “See? Finally! Respect.”

“Yeah,” Kahler said. “The quiet ninja who has been around a handful of normal people his entire life. Good example.”

“Shut it!”

“So, how do we get to Atkins, anyway? If we approach him at his home…”

“Shinsuke may be watching,” Raizo added.

“Whether he’s a target or a client,” Mika finished.

Maslow nodded, “Right. So, to avoid that for now…” He pulled out an invitation, “we get to Atkins while he’s in the open. There’s a gala tonight in London he’s committed to attend.” He held up a small wired microphone. “We need to get this bug on him.”

“What? Right there in public?” Kahler scoffed. “How are we supposed to deliver?”

“That’s the part of the plan that gets… interesting.” Maslow looked at Raizo. “Can you pull it off?”

Raizo was a little surprised at the request. “You want me out in public? Where anyone can see me?”

“Our choices are limited right now. I have a feeling you’d have the speed to put the bug on him where he won’t notice. Plus, so far, you haven’t started a body count.”

“There’s been no reason to. I don’t mind doing so, however, should the need arise however.”

Maslow paused. “God, you’re terrifying.”

Kahler shrugged. “I actually like him.”

Mika had to stifle a laugh.

“Do you think he’s stupid enough to speak within earshot of a bug to give away a plan to kill, at least, 4 other people?”

“Of course not,” Maslow smirked. “But if you have a better plan, old man, I’d love to hear it.”

Kahler clinched his jaw at the quip. “Arrogant arsehole.”

Mika wanted to laugh again but composed herself. “So, we got to the party and Raizo gets a bug on Atkins.” She shrugged. “Sounds simple enough.”

“I’m assuming he can do it without being noticed,” Maslow remarked.

Raizo scoffed. “Easy.”

“Figures.”

“I’ll probably have to sit this out,” Kahler declared. “I’ll stick out like a sore thumb at a party.”

“Why?” Mika asked.

“I despise and detest high society.”

“I don’t blame you,” Raizo said.

“Good man,” Kahler said.

Mika and Maslow laughed.

“Is Atkins the only name on this list of suspects?”

“No,” Maslow answered. “There’s one more who was indicted whose case was settled out of court that’s still alive.”

“Who?” Mika asked.

“George Jung.”

“We need to find him,” Raizo said. “He could be the next target.”

“Haven’t been able to,” Maslow informed. “I’ve been trying, but, after the first couple of murders, he disappeared.”

“We’ll worry about him later, then,” Kahler said. “If he was smart enough to hide, that might keep him alive a little longer. And I’m putting a lot of emphasis on ‘might.’” He looked at his new travel companions, “While you two are out of the town, I’ll see if I can find him.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Mika replied.

Maslow looked at Mika and Raizo. “You two are infiltrating high society. Do dress for the occasion.”

Mika smiled. “I’ll do my best.”

“And don’t get too lost in each other’s eyes,” Maslow joked. “You do have to work.”

“Shut up, Ryan.”

Raizo and Kahler laughed.

* * *

That evening, in London, Raizo examined himself in the full length mirror of his hotel room, regarding at the suit he was wearing for the evening. He and Mika decided to take Maslow’s advice and went shopping and find some nice clothes for the evening. Mika decided to have a little fun and have them each pick an outfit and not show the other right away. Raizo couldn’t figure her reasoning but went along with all the same. As he stood in front of the mirror, however, he started to question the validity of this attire. He examined the full black Italian tailored suit, complete with a white shirt, designer vest, and silk black tie, with a high level of scrutiny; not exactly his style but this was the only way to learn if Atkins was Shinsuke’s employer or another target. Raizo understood the mission, even if it meant he had to put on very binding clothing. This was one of the few times in his life he felt, legitimately, uncomfortable.

His discomfort became a very distant thought when the bathroom door opened and Mika exited, wearing a flawless dark red evening dress.

Raizo could count, on one hand, the number of times something took his breath away; in positive manner, anyway. The night he and Mika made love was the first and foremost; seeing Mika in a dress that made him think like any other man after laying eyes on her was a very close second. He, now, saw the perfect reason to wear the suit: he had to look somewhat worthy of standing next to her.

Mika saw it in his eyes. She couldn’t believe the feeling it gave her. She’d seen men want her before, especially ever since moving to Berlin, but to see it in Raizo was new and exciting. When she looked at him in suit, the feeling became mutual. She smiled. “You clean up nice.”

He was a lot loss for words. She was a goddess to be beheld. He couldn’t help but gaze at her incomparable beauty.

“I don’t look that bad, do I?” she joked.

“Not at all,” he exhaled. “You look…” It was still difficult to find the right words. “You are so beautiful, Mika.”

She blushed. She wondered how he constantly made her do that. “Thank you. You look… pretty amazing yourself.”

He remembered he was even in a suit. He looked down at his attire, “I’ve never worn a suit before.”

She smiled. She approached him and helped adjust his tie. “What? Have you never been on a date?”

“No.”

There was an actual surprise. She stopped adjusting his tie and looked at him. “Are you serious?”

He nodded.

She smiled, “Guess you have a lot to learn.” She finished with his tie and smoothed out the shoulders of his suit jacket.

He moved closer to her, leaving barely any space between them for a thought to get through. “You could… teach me.”

She brought her hand up to his cheek. “Give me time. I will.” She traced his jaw line. “But we have something to do right now.”

Raizo nodded. They walked to the door and he opened it for her, “What about after the party?”

She heard that dangerous, seductive tone of his voice. She decided to match it. “Well… we’re off the clock then. But like the old saying goes: business… before pleasure.”

Another rarity for Raizo: his heart skipped a beat. And he liked it. “As long as you’re sure. That it will be a pleasure.”

“Oh, believe me, I am positive.”


	7. Chapter Seven

** Chapter Seven **

After entering the gala was, Raizo saw no sign of Shinsuke, thankfully. He figured there was a 50/50 chance of him arriving, whether Atkins was a target or not. He would have to do his best to keep an eye out for the Red Shuriken. Though, that was easier said than done. But, for now, all seemed to be innocuous, much to Raizo’s relief. After being assured Shinsuke wasn’t present, Raizo found it hard to focus on anything else but his date for the evening. Mika was always gorgeous but, tonight, she put her best foot forward; she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on. Her dress hugged her curves so well that he couldn’t get thoughts of their night of passion out of his head. She was even wearing high heels that made her backside even more prominent.

Mika glanced over her shoulder, saw his stare, and smiled. “Like what you see?”

The slightest hint of a blush hit Raizo’s cheeks.

She smiled and saw Tristin Atkins. “We can finish this fast and get out of here.”

“Not too quickly. Avoid suspicion.”

She stopped and moved closer to him, leaning her back against him. “The way you’re looking at me, you don’t seem like you wanna wait.”

“I don’t. But I have a lot of patience, Mika. Besides,” he leaned closer to whisper in her ear, “good things come to those who wait. That was proven the second I met you.” He kissed her cheek.

She almost melted immediately. “Who knew you were such a romantic?”

“I didn’t… until I met you.”

The rest of the evening was lovely. If it wasn’t for the fact that they were on a specific assignment, Mika would’ve considered this to be a very nice date. Raizo was actually enjoying himself as well. He loved being around Mika. But he did know that they had a job to do. He didn’t stare at Atkins, but he was aware of where Atkins was at all times, admittedly difficult with Mika holding on to his hand. They pretended to flirt with each other while they observed their target, though they weren’t pretending after too long.

“How do we get to him?” Mika whispered while Raizo was holding her hand.

“I have a couple of ideas,” Raizo whispered back.

“Do any of them involve a sharp, metal object?”

“Some. But I don’t think that’s the correct approach.”

“Then what?”

“One idea but it’s embarrassing,” he admitted.

“Now, I have to hear it,” she declared.

“‘Clumsy Asian Guy.’”

She stared at him in silence before a giggle worked its way through her throat. “I really hope you’re about to say more than that because I’m about to burst out laughing.”

He smiled. “Go ahead. I like your laugh.”

“Raizo.”

“The racial stereotype for anyone of Asian descent is that people expect them to be one of two ways: the most prim and proper person in a room or so clumsy that they trip over their own shoelaces and speak in broken English.”

“You’re right: that is racist.”

“And accurate. There’s a fine middle ground to walk, though. Everyone saw us walk and saw how I carry myself.”

“So?” she asked.

“So,” he replied, “now everyone’s thinking I’m either this way all of the time or trying to impress the gorgeous woman I walked in with.”

She feigned offense. “You walked in here with another woman?”

He glared at her.

She smiled. “Kidding.”

He shook his head, then noticed Atkins standing up. “Better do it now.” He started to move.

But Mika stopped him before it was obvious. “I have a better idea.”

“And that is?”

She grabbed hold of her purse and took him by the hand. “Just follow my lead and be ready.”

“What do you have planned?” he asked, curiously.

She winked at him and led him up from the table. They walked toward the dance floor, with every intention of cross Atkins’s path as they walked. As they got close to Atkins, Mika saw the perfect tool to initiate her plan: a partially exposed chair leg. Covertly and demonstrating impressive acting skills, Mika stumbled over the chair and fell right against Atkins with Raizo gently grabbing her arm and placing his arm around her core for support. In a brilliant move, Mika left her purse partially open and allowed the contents to fall out.

“Oh, goodness!” Mika cried out, subtly. She looked at Atkins. “I am so sorry, sir.”

“No, no,” Atkins insisted with a smile, “It’s fine, it’s fine!”

She knelt down, along with Raizo, started to organize the small mess made by her open purse. “I can be such an idiot sometimes! I’m so sorry, mister…”

“Atkins,” he introduced as he knelt down to help. “Tristan Atkins.”

Mika looked at him, acting star struck. “From… Abrams Steel?”

Atkins chuckled. “That’s right.”

“Oh, I bumped into one of the most powerful men in this hemisphere. A lovely maneuver on my part.”

“Think nothing of it, dear.”

During the conversation and at a level of speed that would leave a supercomputer dazed and confused, Raizo slipped Atkins’s wallet out of his pocket and slipped the tracking device into it. He put it back in Atkins’s pocket and handed Mika her purse before they all were back fully vertical; no one but himself and Mika were the wiser.

“I’m so sorry, Mr. Atkins,” Mika said, sweetly, once they were standing up straight.

“Don’t worry about it,” Atkins waved off her apology.

“I don’t even know why I brought my purse with me,” Mika feigned disappointment. “I guess I was just so anxious since we haven’t been able to go out in months.” She looked at Raizo, “Maybe we shouldn’t try dancing.”

“Nonsense, miss,” Atkins said, getting their attention. “One incident shouldn’t ruin your evening. Besides, I believe this young man is very lucky to have you on his arm.”

“More than you know, sir,” Raizo replied.

“Then, no harm, no injury. No need to spoil a perfectly lovely evening. You two should enjoy yourselves.”

Mika gave a false smile of renewed hope. “We will. Thank you.”

“Thank you,” Raizo gave a slight bow.

“Have a good evening.” Atkins walked his own way and Raizo and Mika went back to the table to leave her purse there then proceeded to the dance floor of the ballroom and began to waltz to light atmospheric music in the room.

“You are… a genius,” Raizo said to her.

Mika smiled and gave a small shrug, “Figured it looked less suspicious that way. People may fall for the ‘Clumsy Asian Guy’ but a gorgeous, British black woman? She can get away with just about anything.”

“She most certainly can with me.”

She giggled, softly, then stared into his eyes, “Besides… you don’t have to do everything alone anymore. You’re not alone.”

“Thank you.” He smiled. “Glad to hear you call yourself ‘gorgeous’.”

“You look at me like I am. Might as well claim it.”

“You are gorgeous.”

She placed her hand behind his head and brought him for a kiss. The tenderness of the kiss, again, reminded them of what they now shared with each other. They separated a bit.

“Job well done?” he asked.

She nodded.

They danced on, letting the music carry them away to take a few precious moments to themselves.

* * *

A couple hours later, in his office, Maslow paced while talking on the phone, “No sign of ‘im, then, eh?” He nodded. “Alright. You two get some rest. Good job, Mika.” He was quiet for another second. “Right. See you in the morning.” He ended the call and looked at Kahler. “They did it.”

“You’re surprised they did?” Kahler asked.

“Of course not.”

“And no sign of Shinsuke. That’s a relief.”

“A small one,” Maslow sat down, leaning back in his chair. “But that doesn’t mean anything.”

Kahler leaned back as well. “Sad but true. Problem I always had with following the bastard: he doesn’t follow a pattern. He attacks when he sees the opportunity or when he’s ready.”

“You thinking he was there?”

“I honestly have no idea.”

Maslow checked his phone when his text alert went off. “Message from the team following Atkins. The wire’s working. He’s headed home.”

“What’s the furthest they can be out of range for the wire to work?” Kahler asked.

“15 miles.”

“Tell them to stay that far back.” Kahler scoffed. “Still might not be enough.”

“All we can hope for.” Maslow got on his computer. “I have another team going through all of Atkins’s records, trial summaries, and the like. Looking anything suspi…” He jerked his neck back slightly. “…cious.”

Kahler looked at Maslow, concerned. “What?”

Kahler’s question was met with silence and Maslow’s hard stare at the computer screen.

“What is it? What?”

“Uh… not sure.” Maslow pointed at the screen, “Email just came in.”

“Alright, well, drop the suspense, then,” Kahler said. “What’s it say?”

“‘If you want to know the truth about Tristin Atkins, I have it.’”

Kahler waited for more. “And?”

“And nothing. That’s all it says.” Maslow examined it. “There some numbers here.” He moved the screen so Kahler could read the email.

“Longitude and latitude.” Kahler looked at the last numbers. “And this looks like a time and date at the end.” He checked his watch. “That’s 3:15 PM. Tomorrow.”

Maslow typed in the coordinates. “That’s Greenwich Park.”

“Are we going through with this?”

“Are you a cop?”

“Retired,” Kahler answered.

“Is that your serious answer?” Maslow asked.

“No.”

Maslow chuckled. “We’ll take care of it. I’ll send Mika and Raizo to handle it.”

“Are you going to tell them tonight?”

“Nah. Let ‘em have the night off.”

Kahler smirked. “Good. I’m sure they’ll make… good use of that.”

Maslow gave a quick smirk. “Go ta bed, ya old geezer.”

“Not a chance.” Kahler motioned for a file, “Let me look those over again.”

“For what?”

“See if we can find out who’s sending mysterious emails.”

“You think Shinsuke will know about it?” Maslow asked.

“I think it’s a damn good idea that you’ll send Raizo to the meeting,” Kahler answered.

“I was thinking the same thing.”

* * *

An hour later, Mika and Raizo walked back into their hotel room, not too tuckered out from the evening but grateful to be back in the room all the same.

“Well,” Mika put her purse on the nightstand. “All in all, that worked pretty well.” She looked at him, “What do you…”

She stopped when she saw that Raizo was standing with centimeters of her, he leaned in and kissed her. She lost all of the words the second his lips touched hers.

She came out of her haze after he broke the kiss and stared at him. “I did make you wait a while, didn’t I?”

“Three hours, thirty-seven minutes.”

“We were gone that long?” She thought again. “You were counting?”

“Are you not wearing this dress?” he asked.

A playful, dangerous look entered her eyes. “I can confidently tell you I’m not about to be.”

“I didn’t know you could read my mind.”

“I wasn’t.” She took his hand put it on her back, putting his hand on her zipper. Her eyes never left his during the motion. “I’m telling you what’s going to happen.”

Raizo stared into her eyes and could see all of the desire in her that mirrored his own. He smirked. Then slowly pulled the zipper down.

* * *

Getting home from the party, Atkins walked into his study, heading straight for his alcohol case. He opened it to find his bourbon gone.

“Looking for this?” Shinsuke asked, holding the bourbon bottle by the neck.

Atkins jumped back in fear at Shinsuke’s voice, slamming back against the cabinet.

Shinsuke chuckled. “Jumpy, are we not?”

“Considering how we know each other, can you blame me?”

Shinsuke laughed. “Actually, no.” He swung the bottle back and forth. “Not my particular brand but it’ll do in a pinch.”

Atkins steadied his pulse. “Quite.”

Shinsuke stood up, retrieved two glasses, set them on the desk, and poured the bourbon. He presented one glass to Atkins. “How was your evening?”

Atkins took the glass and sipped the bourbon. “Good. Very good. I have a new name for you. It’s an old friend I was hoping was smart enough to not get involved in this.”

“Who?”

“George Jung. But… he may be expecting you. Apparently, the deaths of the other partners have sent him into hiding. He may have hired security. I’ll find out what I can.”

“So will I.” Shinsuke smiled. “That is fantastic. More excitement to this. It feels like Christmas.”

“You are a strange man, Mr. Shinsuke.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment, Mr. Atkins.”

Atkins took another sip. “What was so important that you came here?”

“Ah, yes!” Shinsuke finished his glass before pouring another. “We have some… new players in this game.”

Atkins was stunned at that. “What do you mean, ‘new players’?”

“Just an old detective who hunted me before,” Shinsuke said. “Though he does have help this time around… of the most unexpected variety. A very talented opponent who will really put my skills to the test. Makes it all rather exciting!”

“Exciting?! What?! What does that mean?!”

“It’s nothing to get worked up over. They’ll be making attempts to stop me, of course, but nothing I can’t handle.”

“‘They’?!” Atkins asked. “What? Did they see your face?”

“Of course,” Shinsuke replied.

“How many people saw?!”

“Just three.”

“THREE!”

Shinsuke smirked. “It’s hardly a crowd.”

Atkins found it hard to breathe. “Who are these people? What are their names?”

“That’s for me to know.”

“You know them. You can warn me about who they are.”

“No,” Shinsuke declared. “That’s not in our contract.”

“What?!” Atkins said, indignantly.

“Our contract states that I kill all of those on your list. A list, by the way, _you_ haven’t confirmed is complete or not, I can’t help but notice.”

“And you just made it so much harder to work!”

“Oh, my work is just fine.”

“No!” Atkins argued. “It’s not! I hired you for your furtiveness! You’re supposed to be invisible! You’re supposed to be anonymous!”

“I am,” Shinsuke, calmly, shrugged.

“THREE PEOPLE KNOW YOUR FACE!”

“Believe me: you have so little to fear.”

“THAT’S NOT THE POINT! I need this to go off without any problems! And you’re putting all of that in jeopardy with your showboating, you damned son of a…”

Atkins shut up, quickly, when he felt the cold metal barrel of a pistol against his forehead. Shinsuke’s gun was drawn and aimed before the word “son” left Atkins’s mouth. Atkins just didn’t realize it.

“Tread lightly, Mr. Atkins,” Shinsuke warned, in a very calm voice.

Atkins’s mouth went dry and he was starting to shake a little bit. He was trying to steady his trembling, as he didn’t think it best to move right now.

“I should charge you extra for the man hunting me now. But, out of the pure thrill of having one of my own kind tracking me, I’ll wave that fee, especially when it’s this particular hunter.”

Atkins was too afraid to speak.

Shinsuke smiled. He removed the gun. “Keep your calm about you, Mr. Atkins. I will handle George Jung and all will be well.”

Atkins exhaled and adjusted his tie.

“Speaking of the list, aside from Jung, is there anyone else that requires my attention?”

Atkins cleared his throat. “Uh… yes, yes. There is. I hate to have to do this but… it must be done.”

“Who?”

“Debra Hollis. Unfortunately.”

“Such is life,” Shinsuke said. “And when you have the location of Jung…”

“I should know soon,” Atkins replied, “and you’ll be the first person I call. We’re, uh… monitoring all of his communications and we should get a location soon.”

“See that you do. I’d hate to keep my pursuers waiting.” Shinsuke checked his watch. “My goodness, look at the time! I’ll have to deal with Ms. Hollis tomorrow.” He looked back at him. “I must be going now. I require my beauty sleep. With this damned scar, it’s hard to keep this face so defiantly handsome.”

Atkins had no idea how to respond to that.

Shinsuke laughed. “You really must not take everything so seriously, Mr. Atkins. Relax. Have some more bourbon. Play some music. I find this Gavin DeGraw fellow, from America, most enjoyable. A very melodic and soothing voice, he has.”

Atkins nodded, “I’ll… give him a listen.”

“Good!” Shinsuke patted Atkins on the shoulder. “You have a pleasant evening, Mr. Atkins.”

“You, as well.”

Shinsuke gave a small bow. “Thank you.” He proceeded out of the door of the office, leaving Atkins to slowly sit down and rub his forehead and wonder if all of this was worth it.


	8. Chapter Eight

** Chapter Eight **

Mika’s cell phone ringing woke her up, although she wanted an extra ten minutes. She groaned, grabbed the phone, and, wearily, answered, “Hello?”

“ _Mika?_ ” Maslow asked.

“Oh!” She woke up, completely, as she sat straight up, causing Raizo to stir. “Umm… hey, Ryan!”

“ _Where are you?_ ”

“Uh… just, uh… waking up! Sorry, are we late or something?”

“ _No, just get down to the station house soon as you can,_ ” Maslow ordered. “ _We have some more information about the case._ ”

“Sure, sure. Be there in ten…” Mika looked at a shirtless Raizo, looking at her with his unfairly impressive smile, “make that thirty minutes.” He traced his fingers along her spine and she almost moaned. She had control of her voice but not her eyes rolling into the back of her head. It felt too good. She came back to the present. “M-more like an hour.”

Maslow sighed. “ _Sure. Whenever. Just get down here._ ”

“Right.” She hung up and dropped her head with an exasperated sigh.

“Problem?” Raizo asked.

“Yes.” She looked at him. “You’re too damn sexy.”

“Really? Never noticed before.”

She laid back down next to him. “I did.” She kissed him. “So… we need to go meet Maslow and Kahler.”

“You said an hour.”

“Well… I do need a shower.”

“It doesn’t take you an hour to take a shower,” he pointed out.

“It will,” she argued, “…since I have company.”

He was a little surprised by that. He smiled. “Is that an invitation?”

“It’s a demand.”

“I like this forceful side of you.”

“Really?”

“Really.” He kissed her. “After you.”

“You just like watching me walk away,” she said.

“Yes, I do.”

Mika got a playful look on her face. She got up from the bed, taking the sheet with her, covering herself as she walked into the bathroom. Raizo sat up as heard her start the shower. He saw the sheet land on the floor. His eyebrows shot up in surprise.

She leaned around the door frame, carefully covering her body. “You’re not going to keep me waiting. Are you?”

He stared at her, love and lust for her radiating off of him. “No, I’m not.”

* * *

Over an hour later, Mika and Raizo were walking toward the office when Mika looked over at Raizo. “Do you think we should tell them about us?”

Raizo scoffed. “I don’t mind. But, Maslow might object.”

“Save it for after the investigation?”

“Fine by me.”

After getting to the office and finding Kahler already there, Maslow showed Raizo and Mika the message he received the previous night.

“So, who’s it from?” Mika asked.

“We picked up some chatter from the wire on Atkins last night,” Maslow replied. “We believe this is from Debra Hollis.”

“And she’s next on the list,” Raizo surmised.

Maslow nodded. “We can also confirm that Shinsuke is working for Atkins.”

“Can’t say that we didn’t see that coming,” Mika added. “What do we do about Hollis?”

“You two are going to meet up with her. Do it fast as you can. We think Shinsuke’s about to move.”

“Where is she?”

“From the email she sent us, she’ll be at the Pavilion Café in Greenwich at 3:15,” Maslow informed.

Mika’s eyes widened. “What? Right out in an open and exposed?”

“She doesn’t know she’s a target. All the more reason we have to get to her first. Get in and get her out.”

“You got it.”

* * *

Shinsuke was preparing to go to Greenwich Park when his phone rang. “Hello?” he answered.

“ _I know where Jung is,_ ” Atkins’s voice came from the other line.

“Ah, that’s good news!”

“ _Not at all. He’s in Command Sigma._ ”

Shinsuke let his mind dwell on that. “Hm. The old military bunker, 25 miles from London.”

“ _How do you know about that?_ ” Atkins asked.

“It’s one of the random things I know.”

“ _Well, I’m dead. That place was designed to withstand attacks from armies. He’s impossible to get to._ ”

Shinsuke smiled as plan came to his mind. “Hardly. I’m off to deal with Ms. Hollis. And Mr. Jung will come next.”

“ _What?_ ” Atkins asked. “ _How?_ ”

“Like I said, trust me. Leave everything to me.” Shinsuke hung up and grabbed another phone from his belongings. He flipped it in the air before slipping it in his pocket. He snickered. “This gets more interesting by the second.”

* * *

Raizo and Mika arrived at the Pavilion Café in Greenwich right at 3:15, praying that Shinsuke hadn’t gotten there first. They looked all around for Debra Hollis and found her sitting at a table, sipping on a cup of tea. Hollis was a woman in her late thirties, wearing glasses, and had her brown hair tied in a bun. To anyone else, she was another unassuming woman having tea in a park. For both sides of this case, she was far more important than that. Mika sighed in relief as she and Raizo rushed over to her.

“Ms. Hollis?” Mika asked.

Hollis looked up. “Yes?”

“Are we glad to see you!”

“Who are you?”

Mika pulled out her badge and credentials, “I’m Mika Coretti, Europol.”

Hollis got a good look at the badge then back at Mika. “You’re the ones investigating Atkins, then?”

“Yes,” Mika took Debra by the arm and forced her to her feet, “and, right now, we really need you to come with us and we _really_ need to leave.”

Hollis jerked her head back in confusion. “No, I have the evidence for you.” She picked up the folder she had with her. “Here. I just wanted to give it to you and…”

“Yes, that’s all well and good,” Mika interrupted, “but that’s one reason why you’re a target now.”

All the color drained from Hollis’s face. “W-what?”

“Target.” Mika glanced at Raizo, who kept looking around for any sign of his new nemesis. “Are we clear?”

Raizo kept his head on a swivel, “For now. Let’s go.”

They quickly moved her out the café. They got into their car, left Greenwich Park, and got back on the highway, heading back to the Europol station.

“Wh-what is going on?” Hollis asked, understandably alarmed. “What did you mean ‘target’?”

“All of the deaths of the former Studson board members have been the work of an assassin, Ms. Hollis,” Mika explained. “You’re a target now, too.”

“What?”

“What do you know about Studson International?”

Hollis couldn’t think clearly; all of this was happening too fast. “J-j-just… a lot. Atkins… he… it’s more than just…” She looked around, “Should I be scared?”

Mika didn’t answer right away. “Probably.”

Hollis’s eyes got wider.

“I need you to focus, right now, Ms. Hollis.”

“On what? The assassin who’s going to kill me?”

Mika struggled to find the right words but conceited, “Okay, granted, that’s something that can have a hold on you but this folder. What’s in it?”

Hollis struggled to get her wits about her. “It… it-it…”

The car was hit from behind, suddenly, jerking all of the occupants forward. Mika looked in the rear view mirror, “What the hell was that?!”

Raizo turned around and saw Shinsuke driving a heavy-duty sling type boom truck. Shinsuke waved, cordially, at his adversary.

“Oh, God! What do we do?”

Raizo let his mind race so he could come up with a plan. “Mika, get off the highway!”

“And go where?” Mika asked.

“Do all you can to lose him.”

“Why not stay on the highway and do that?” Hollis asked.

“He’ll have a perfect view of us,” Raizo said. “It doesn’t matter if we have the speed. We need to get out of his line of sight.”

“Good enough for me,” Mika declared.

Mika cut across the highway and took the first exit she saw and Shinsuke followed right behind them. They took to the surface streets, winding through the busy city and barely missing pedestrians and vehicles alike. After a couple of minutes of the chase, Mika drifted the car into a vicious turn around a corner. Shinsuke went straight through the corner, smashing through a newsstand and a traffic signal, like they were nothing but a house of cards.

“I didn’t think he was a maniac on top of everything else,” Mika mused.

“You’d be surprised how many _Hanta Kirra_ are really psychopaths underneath,” Raizo replied.

“He’s right behind us!” Hollis screamed as she looked out of the back windshield.

“Stay down!” Mika ordered. She refocused on the road, “Any ideas?”

Raizo exhaled. “Can I worry you?”

“When do you not?”

“You weren’t saying anything this morning.”

She almost smiled. “Really? Right now?”

He smirked. “Couldn’t help it.” He climbed out of the window.

“What the hell are you doing?! RAIZO!”

Raizo climbed out and moved to the roof of the car. Shinsuke shook his head and aimed with his pistol out of the windshield. He opened fired, shattering the windshield, and Raizo ducked out of the path of the bullets. Raizo threw a shuriken of his own in response and Shinsuke was forced to dodge. Raizo waited until he knew he could make the distance. He exhaled, ran a quick three steps, and launched himself at the tow truck.

Hollis saw the jump and her jaw dropped. “That man is insane!”

Mika smiled but kept driving. “Yeah. Yeah, he is.”

* * *

Raizo landed on the hood of the tow truck and led with both feet into the cab to kick Shinsuke. Shinsuke dodged the kick and began wrestling with Raizo. They fought until Shinsuke forced Raizo against the driver side door then opened it fully, hoping to cause Raizo to fall out. Raizo caught himself moved out of the door to latch on to the frame and punch Shinsuke across the face, causing him to veer even further off course. Shinsuke elbowed Raizo and got right back on the path of following Mika’s car. Raizo was barely hanging on the door of truck but Shinsuke did his best to kick the door of its hinges. Raizo tried to hang on but his positioning made it hard to keep his grip.

Shinsuke grabbed his pistol again. “Sorry to do this, Ozunu!” He aimed at Raizo.

A bullet tore through the windshield and grazed Shinsuke’s left arm, causing him to drop the gun to the floor. He looked to where the bullet came from to see Mika, quickly, refocusing on the road after taking the shot.

Shinsuke chuckled. “Just when I thought this couldn’t be more fun!”

Raizo launched himself up and wrestled with Shinsuke again. Not wanting to abandon Raizo but knowing that she had to keep Hollis safe, Mika veered out of the way of truck and took another route to get back to the station house. Shinsuke looked up and saw that the car was gone and growled. Shinsuke got back control of truck as best he could but suffered another punch from Raizo.

“You know something?” Shinsuke grumbled. “I’m starting to get why Ozunu hated you so much!”

They wrestled for a while longer, still crashing into vehicles all about the street.

After another exchange, Shinsuke grabbed Raizo’s throat, forcing him out of the driver’s door and held him over the street. “You’re really good, Raizo! And that’s really irritating!”

Suddenly, another car slammed into the tow truck, causing Shinsuke to lose his grip and Raizo get free; Raizo move to the outside of the truck. Shinsuke looked at the offending car to see Kahler at the helm.

“Couldn’t let you have all the fun, lad!” Kahler shouted.

Raizo couldn’t help but smile.

Shinsuke looked at saw Kahler and shouted at him, “I can’t remember the last time you were this determined, Dominic!” He picked up his pistol and opened fire.

Raizo looked toward the driver side again, contemplating when to attack Shinsuke, but his attention was drawn to the right front tire. He got an idea.

Kahler moved the car out of the path of the bullets. He pulled back next to the truck and fired at Shinsuke, who had to move back out of the way. “I’m finally close to catchin’ you, ya son of a bitch!”

Shinsuke smiled, “Keep dreaming.”

When Shinsuke tried to get another shot off, Raizo slipped back in and kicked the gun out of his hand. They struggled with one another, leading to both of them falling out of the driver side door but not out of truck. They came close to crashing into a parked truck, but Shinsuke forced them back into the cab and steered away from the truck. Shinsuke punched Raizo in the chest but Raizo answered with an elbow across Shinsuke’s face. Raizo kicked Shinsuke in the face then slammed him, forehead first into the steering wheel. Raizo used the brief second to reach under the steering wheel and rip out some of the wires. Raizo threw himself out of cab of the truck and landed on Kahler’s car.

“You’re letting him get away?!” Kahler shouted.

Raizo looked at right wheel and lifted his hand to view of Kahler to show he was holding the chain of his _kyoketsu-shoge_. “Not at all.”

The chain was wrapped around the front right tire axle. With all of his might, Raizo pulled on the chain and ripped the wheel axle to pieces, causing the truck to swerve out of control.

Knowing he had lost control, Shinsuke buckled into his seat belt and leaned down to grab the passenger belt, pulling himself as close to the seat as he possibly could to prepare for the impending impact. The truck crashed into a series of parked cars, launching up into the air until it was almost vertical before flipping over.

Kahler slowed the car to a stop. “God in heaven.” He looked at Raizo. “Lad. You’re one of hell of a ninja!”

Raizo chuckled and slowly laid back against the windshield as the pain was starting to set in.

Police cars rushed to the scene and began to surround the area. Kahler got out immediately and showed his badge to authorities.

* * *

Groaning, Shinsuke crawled out of the wreckage. “Oh, dammit. I didn’t think he’d hit me with the truck! While I was in it!” He clutched down on the wound from Mika’s bullet. “That woman is pretty good. She actually winged me. That doesn’t usually happen.” He chuckled. “This is just too much fun!” He shuffled to his feet but stopped when he heard the sound of guns cocking back. He smiled and looked to find himself surrounded by the police.

“HANDS UP!” one of them demanded. “ON YOUR KNEES! NOW! RIGHT NOW!”

Shinsuke smiled, while slowly raising his hands in the air, “By all means.” He gradually got down on his knees. “Do I have some outstanding tickets, officers?”


	9. Chapter Nine

** Chapter Nine **

Shinsuke sat in an interrogation room, completely isolated. They bandaged up all of his wounds and left him alone while they decided what to do with him. Shinsuke looked around the room then looked at the camera and smiled.

* * *

Watching from the feed in Maslow’s office, he, Kahler, Mika, and Raizo stared at the screen, trying to comprehend this situation.

Kahler shook his head, “This is all wrong.”

“You feel it, too?” Mika asked.

“He let himself be captured,” Raizo reasoned.

“I was thinking the same.”

“It only makes sense,” Kahler said. “He follows you through town in damn semi-truck, crashing into everything along the way. That’s not him. There’s no point to that.”

Maslow sighed. “Well, it’s done for now. We need to talk to Hollis and find Jung.”

“Any luck with the last part?” Mika asked.

“No. But we tracked his financials and there’s the problem.”

“How so?”

“He’s protected.” Maslow hit a few keys on his computer, pulling up some information. “He hired the Tanzen Company.”

“Shit,” Kahler groaned.

“Who are they?” Mika asked.

“The Tanzen Company is an elite mercenary group,” Raizo explained. “You have to be connected and have a lot of money to hire them. I’ve actually never faced them before.”

“Count yourself lucky then.” Maslow looked at the screen with Shinsuke. “Nightmare.” He grabbed a folder, “Time to talk to Hollis. You three come listen. We all need to hear this.”

Maslow walked into the interrogation room to speak with Debra Hollis. The room was located as far from the room where Shinsuke was kept as possible, to avoid any possible attacks. To try, at least. Everyone knew not to make any promises at this point. Mika, Raizo, and Kahler looked through the one-way mirror as Maslow spoke with Debra.

“Ms. Hollis,” Maslow sat down, set a folder on the table, and opened it. “You’re very lucky to be alive.”

Hollis was still gathering herself after the chase. “Uh… s-so, I’ve noticed.”

“Ms. Hollis, what do you know about Tristin Atkins?”

“Uh…” she exhaled. “He’s… he’s a scumbag.”

“What’s in this file?”

“Records.”

“Of what?” Maslow asked.

“He was part of the Studson board and they were into illegal trafficking activity,” Hollis explained.

“Illegal trafficking. What kind?”

“Drugs. Lots and lots of drugs a-and weapons. All over the world.”

“Were they all involved?”

“I’m not sure.” Hollis motioned toward the folder, “This is just what I had access to for Atkins’s emails and messages that I took care of.”

Maslow looked at the records, taking everything in. “How’d they get away with it?”

“Pay offs.” She exhaled. “And a lot of people keeping quiet.”

“Were you one of the people?”

Hollis nodded, solemnly.

Maslow exhaled. “Well, you’re brave to come tell us. But, why now?”

“I… I-I saw a photo of someone who died in one of the exchanges… by accident one day. Atkins told me to forget about it and keep my mouth shut.” She looked off into space. “I know what those monsters did. All of them, not just Atkins.” She shook her head. “I haven’t slept through the night in so long.” She exhaled, coming back to reality. “I was going to give you the file and try to run but… now… after dodging a bullet… literally… I don’t care if you add me as an accessory.”

Maslow stared at her in silence then looked at the glass, his allies on the other side of it. He looked back at Hollis. “I’m sure we’ll find a way that it won’t be as terrible as you might think.”

Hollis looked up, confused.

“I’d say you’ve been through quite enough as it is.”

Hollis looked down. “I’m not so sure about that.”

“We’ll see,” Maslow reassured.

A knock came to the door to the interrogation room. One of the junior agents walked in, “I’m sorry, Agent Maslow. There’s someone here to see you. They said it’s about the case and it’s urgent.”

Not liking the sounds of that at all, Maslow looked back at the mirror and nudged his head for the others to follow. As they headed back to his office, Maslow advised Raizo to wait elsewhere until they knew who they were dealing with. Maslow, Mika, and Kahler walked into the office and found George Jung sitting in his office, with three soldier-type men in tow. He was a bit of a heavy set man, shorter than Kahler, and he had an arrogant air all about him. Maslow, Mika, and Kahler stared at Jung in surprise. For the life of them, they couldn’t figure out why he was here or why he would want to be.

“Well…” Mika cleared her throat. “George Jung, I presume.”

“Where is he?” Jung asked.

“He who?” Maslow asked.

“The man who’s been killing my former associates.”

Maslow looked at Kahler and Mika then back at Jung. “We have him here.” He walked over to his desk.

“I would like him turned over to me,” Jung declared.

Maslow sat down. “And why would you want that? Believe me, you’re safer with him here.”

“You shouldn’t even be here,” Kahler advised. “You’re close enough for him to find. That’s makes you a dead man.”

Jung looked at him. “Oh, I know all about Atkins and his hired gun.” He motioned toward the three men with him, “Which is why I hired a few of my own.” He produced a paper. “And we’d like him turned over to us.”

Maslow took the paper and saw that it was signed by one of his own superiors. “So… let me get this straight…” He set the paper down. “…you want to take a man, who has killed, flawlessly, and I mean some of the best kills I have ever seen, an unconfirmed number of people, and you want to take him _with_ you somewhere?”

“We have ways of dealing with him and I need to know what he knows.”

“You’re asking to be killed.”

“I’ve got it under control,” Jung said. “These are hardly all the men I have.”

“It won’t be enough,” Mika spoke up, hardly able to control herself. All she could see in her mind was the last time she saw a ninja surrounded by men in combat gear.

Jung looked at her. “Excuse me, young lady?”

“You don’t know what this man is capable of. It doesn’t matter how many men you have. It won’t be enough. You need to leave him with us.”

“No, he’s coming with us.”

Mika tried to keep her composure. “Mr. Jung… this is a mistake. If you take this man with you… you’ll just be bringing trouble to yourself.”

“She’s right,” Maslow agreed. “You need to leave him here.”

“We’re more than capable of handling this,” Jung assured.

“No,” Kahler spoke. “You’re really not.”

Jung rolled his eyes. “Enough with this. I’ll need all of the prisoners personal effects, as well.”

Maslow looked at him for a while. “Fine. But my people go with you.”

“That won’t be necessary.”

“I don’t think you heard me. They are going with you. If they don’t, then you aren’t taking the prisoner anywhere. That’s the deal.”

“I believe that signature overrides any deal you want to make,” Jung said.

“Screw you and whoever you paid off for this signature,” Maslow replied. “My case, my rules. If you want to fight me on this, I promise you’ll lose. You want this man but my people are the ones who caught him. They go with you. Whether you believe it or not, this is to keep you alive, Mr. Jung.”

Jung looked at Maslow’s posture and saw that he wouldn’t be swayed from this position. “Fine. Arrange the transfer.”

“Fine.”

Jung and his men exited the office.

“This is what he wanted,” Kahler surmised. “Shinsuke knew this would happen the moment he was captured. Hell, probably before then.”

“I know,” Maslow exhaled.

“What do we do?” Mika asked.

“You’re all going with them. If Shinsuke makes a move, kill the bastard.”

“And Hollis?” Kahler asked.

“She’s staying here. No chance she’s going with them.”

Mika nodded. “We’re walking into the lion’s den with this.”

“Pray God keeps their mouths shut,” Maslow mused.

“Started praying before you said it,” Kahler whispered.

“I’ll get Raizo,” Mika headed out of the office.

* * *

A few minutes later, a team of Jung’s men escorted Shinsuke out of the station house with a collar attached to his neck with six foot poles on each end by which two of the guards had him and his hands cuffed behind his back. Shinsuke wore a smile on his face the entire time. They got him into the back of an armored, extended-length SWAT truck and Mika, Raizo, and Kahler got into their car and followed them. A while later, driving miles outside of London, they came to a small abandoned and, seemingly, hollowed out old factory. It was surrounded by a gate with quarantine signs to keep people out.

“Command Sigma?” Raizo asked as they approached.

“You know this place?” Mika asked.

“A little. I’ve never been here. It’s a rumor.”

“What rumor?”

“The _Hanta Kirra_ attacked here, years ago. The story is one of the Clans had a contract to kill a commander in the British army. 50 ninja were dispatched. Only one ever survived.”

Mika stared at him, “Raizo… do you think Shinsuke…”

“I don’t know,” Raizo admitted. “It was 15 years ago.”

“I don’t know if it was or not,” Kahler spoke up, “but if anyone could find a way to kill everyone here…”

“Yeah,” Mika agreed. “I don’t like anything about this.”

“It’s amazing how much that feeling is mutual.”

They drove to a small underground entrance that led to tunnel, which opened up into the former factory. After they all got inside, the soldiers, carefully, moved Shinsuke out of the truck and deeper into the empty factory. Mika and Raizo looked at each other as this situation was all too familiar.

“So, this is your plan?” Kahler asked.

“Of course,” one of the soldiers answered.

“This place is secluded,” another soldier said. “No one comes with in ten miles of the place. God won’t even know to find him here.”

“Careful what you say about God around me, boy,” Kahler advised. “I may not beat you over the head with the Good Book but I won’t let you go throwing around what He can and can’t do.”

The soldier spit. “Superstitious arse.”

“Wait,” Mika called out. “So, that’s it? You’re just going to keep him in a bunker.”

“For now. After he answers all of the questions we have for him, we’ll put him six feet under.”

The soldiers had a laugh at that. Raizo, Mika, and Kahler didn’t crack a smile.

Mika scoffed and rolled her eyes, “Yeah, this is gonna work.”

“You don’t believe us, lady?” the soldier asked.

“Let’s just say that I’ve seen this exact same thing go horribly… _horribly_ wrong.”

“Don’t worry so much, miss,” Shinsuke spoke up. “I’m sure these fine gentlemen know exactly what they’re doing.”

Mika, Raizo, and Kahler looked at each other, nervously, at Shinsuke’s remark.

Shinsuke looked at the soldiers, “You know, I’m curious: how much is Jung paying all of you?”

One of the soldiers scoffed. “More than you’ll ever see.”

Shinsuke laughed. “That’s cute. You actually believe that.”

“Please. If you get paid so much, it wasn’t enough. You got captured and, after we’re through with you, you’re never gonna see the light of day again.”

“I won’t?”

“No,” the soldier said, coldly. “Not ever.”

Shinsuke grinned, showing all his teeth. “Oh, this might be more fun than I thought!”

Raizo stared at Shinsuke, who looked over and returned his gaze with a smile. Raizo could tell Shinsuke saw the arrogant soldier’s words as a challenge. Such a challenge to a _Hanta Kirra_ meant it would be paid in blood.

* * *

They entered the main part of Command Sigma, a facility surrounded by weapons, soldiers, and cameras. Raizo couldn’t help but think that this wasn’t enough security. He, Mika, and Kahler were taken to a small office where Jung was while Shinsuke was taken away.

“What is the point of this?” Kahler asked Jung.

“I need to know what he knows,” Jung answered. “So, I can nail that bastard Atkins to the wall.” He looked at Shinsuke’s phone in the evidence bag. He handed it to another soldier, “Crack it. Let me know what’s on it.”

“Yes, sir,” the soldier walked out of the room with the phone.

Jung looked at Henry, the commander of the squad, “Go in there and make him talk.”

“Yes, sir,” Henry walked out of the office, taking a couple of soldiers with him.

“This is a bad idea,” Mika whispered to Raizo.

“Maybe,” Raizo agreed. “But let’s see what happens.”

“Do you think he planned this?”

“That’s just it: I don’t know yet.”

“Worst case scenario?” she asked.

He paused and looked at her. “I think it’s best I _don’t_ answer that.”

She exhaled, “Yeah, I was afraid of that.”

* * *

Shinsuke was handcuffed and chained to the wall and the floor of the other observation room. He noticed this room was far less professional than the London Europol interrogation room. The door opened and Henry and his soldiers walked in, all fully armed.

Shinsuke smiled. “Oh, goodie! Friends! This looks promising!”

Henry step forward, slowly. He stared at Shinsuke in silence. “Who are you?”

“Who are you?” Shinsuke replied, nonchalantly.

“The name’s Henry.”

“Henry. Good to meet you. I’m known, professionally, as the Red Shuriken.”

“Who sent you?” Henry asked.

“The one who paid me,” Shinsuke answered, haughtily.

“And who is that?”

“Sorry. It’s in the standard contract. I’m not allowed to say. My business depends on secrecy and repeat business depends on how well I keep that first part.”

“Then how do you get new clients?”

Shinsuke brightened. “Excellent question! No one ever thinks to ask that these days! It’s based on word of mouth, really. When people need a professional, they have ways of finding me. I’m nothing without my reputation.”

“How do you prove yourself?” Henry asked.

“My name speaks for itself,” Shinsuke replied.

“Really?”

“Really.” Shinsuke looked at Henry’s patch. “Just like your patch speaks for your group. The Tanzen Company. Interesting outfit. A good group.”

“We know how to hurt,” Henry said.

“So I’ve heard.”

“Then you’ve heard that we’re good at it. Really good. Either answer my questions or you’ll find out firsthand how good at it we are.”

Shinsuke let out a disgusted groan. “Really? The ‘threat of violence to make you talk’ routine? That’s so… ’90s American mob film. My God, does anyone have any original material anymore?”

Henry advanced, slowly and menacingly.

Shinsuke had seen this act so much that it was annoying now. “Look,” he exhaled, exasperatedly. “Let’s no prolong this. You want the answers? You want my client? You want why I did this? Fine. I’ll tell you, if only to get this over with. But under one condition.”

“And what’s that?”

“The Asian man who came with you. Bring him to me. I only talk to him.”

“Only wanna talk with your boyfriend, eh?” Henry asked, causing the other soldiers to laugh.

Shinsuke scoffed. “I don’t go that way. The woman who was with him is more my speed. No, he’s more like a brother.”

Henry stared at Shinsuke. “Why talk to him? What about your contract?”

Shinsuke gave a quick shrug, “In certain conditions, amendments can be made. In this case, a brother like him? Very much worth breaking the standard contract for.”

“Seems too good to be true.”

“Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. You only have one way of finding out.”

Henry stared at Shinsuke again, trying to contemplate this request.

“Do we have a deal?” Shinsuke asked.

* * *

As Henry and the squad exited the cell, Jung looked from the monitor and focused on Raizo. “‘Brother’?”

Raizo remained stoic.

“Purely metaphorical,” Kahler insisted. “That man has no family.”

“Then what’s he want with him?” Jung pointed at Raizo.

“Whatever it is… it’s trouble.”

“Could be the only way to end this,” Mika advised. She looked at Raizo. “What do you think?”

Raizo thought everything over. Something about this all felt wrong but this could be the only to get the answers they needed. “I’ll do it.”

Jung smiled. “Splendid.”

Henry walked back in.

“Henry, take Mister… Heiki, here, to the prisoner.”

Henry looked at Raizo then back at Jung, “You’re not serious!”

“If this will get that man to talk, so be it,” Jung said.

Henry looked at Raizo, cautiously, then back at Jung. He inclined his head toward Raizo, “Sure we can trust him?”

Raizo gazed at Henry, coldly, giving no response.

Henry caught Raizo’s gaze and became defensive. “Hey! I don’t know you so I don’t trust you. That’s all.”

“He knows what he’s doing,” Kahler replied, motioning toward Raizo. “Let him get in there, he’ll get your answers.”

“What’ve you got to lose?” Mika asked.

Henry scoffed. “Whatever.” He looked at Raizo, “Get your pretty boy band hair in there and get what we need.”

Refusing to give in to the childish attempts to anger him, Raizo walked out of the room with Mika following close behind. Henry and a couple of soldiers were a step behind them.

“I don’t care for that joke,” Raizo whispered to her.

“They’re just jealous ‘cause you’re better looking than them,” Mika whispered back, smirking.

He gave a smirk back.

They came to the door to the containment room and stopped.

Mika, carefully, grabbed hold of his hand and whispered, “Be careful in there. This all feels wrong.”

“I know.” Raizo walked away from her and went inside the containment room with the soldiers.

* * *

Shinsuke opened his eyes as the cell door opened and looked at Raizo. He smiled. Raizo remained indifferent, as always.

Henry looked back and forth between the two, “Don’t forget: we’re watching both of you. No funny business.”

Shinsuke chuckled. “Funny, never. Business?” He grinned, evilly. “Ohhhhh… he’s all about business.”

Henry exhaled, “Whatever.” He motioned for his soldiers leave and they exited the room, locking the door behind them.

Shinsuke exhaled, peacefully. “Alone, at last.”

“What do you want?” Raizo asked.

“I just thought we could have a nice chat. Wouldn’t that be pleasant? All of that running and fighting.” Shinsuke shrugged, “Okay, it _is_ fun! But, let’s stop and take a breather, shall we?”

Raizo exhaled, impatiently.

“See? All business.” Shinsuke chuckled. “I can’t help it, I do think highly of you.”

Raizo rolled his eyes.

“I’m annoying you, eh? Alright. I’ll get to the point. But, first, before we get to all that, why don’t I regale with an account you’ll find most interesting? In short… let me tell you a story.”


	10. Chapter Ten

** Chapter Ten **

“A story?” Raizo asked, unsure.

“Yep,” Shinsuke replied.

Raizo came up with the perfect retort for that. “I heard once, a story can be true or false.”

Shinsuke brightened, “ _V for Vendetta_. I love that film. Raizo! You surprise me! I didn’t know you were a movie buff.”

Raizo glared at him.

“Sorry. Sorry.” Shinsuke looked at the camera, focusing on the steady red light, then back at Raizo. “Our story begins, the way both of our stories do, with an orphaned boy taken in by a sadist.”

Raizo squinted a bit.

“Don’t be so surprised, Raizo. The wording has always fit. Even if we didn’t know it at the time.” Shinsuke shifted on his feet and exhaled, “This young boy’s parents died in a house fire. Not an attack. Not the devil. Just fate. A simple electrical fire.” He paused, looking off into space. “Amazing what little tragedies can lead to.” He looked back at Raizo. “Isn’t it?”

“That we can agree on.”

Shinsuke smirked. “The sadist took the boy in to his clan, the Iburi Clan.”

Raizo was surprised; the rules for leaving the Clan were the same for all but Iburi’s wrath was almost legendary.

“The sadist trained the boy to be a killer. But something unexpected happened. The boy surpassed the sadist. Oh, the sadist tried to have the boy killed and he thought the boy didn’t notice. Simple accidents here and there, maybe a mission that would go wrong, but the boy saw the truth. So… the boy waited. Waited until he was strong enough and knew he was ready to leave.” He smiled. “Then… a fateful day came. A day when leaving was not only expected but the opportunity was practically given to him.”

* * *

_Shinsuke arrived outside of the multi-million dollar mansion where his target resided. He looked at the house and knew something was different. Maybe it was night air or the stillness of it, but something was different. This night would lead to something that would change his life forever. He knew it from the moment Iburi gave him the mission. Tonight, things would change._

_He entered the domicile to kill his target. He moved around the house carefully until he came to the master bedroom where his target was asleep. He stood over the bed and drove his katana through the body and the mattress. He looked at life seeping out of the body then exhaled. It was done; all too easy but it was done._

_He heard someone else in the house. Someone with training, Clan training. He was correct: tonight would change things._

_Shinsuke removed the katana from the corpse and, carefully, approached the door. He opened it and saw that no one was there. He walked into the hallway and looked around. Again, he saw no one but he knew better. There was another assassin here and he was the target. Iburi wanted him dead._

_Shinsuke scoffed at the notion, ‘_ At least, you have the guts to finally out right do it, old man. _’_

_Shinsuke continued on into the pitch-black dining room, finding another ninja standing at the other end of the room._

_Shinsuke chuckled. “Well, if the old man was going to send anyone after me, it only made sense that it had to be you, Mei.”_

_“You have dishonored our father,” Mei said._

_He shook his head, “He’s no father of mine.”_

_“Our father wants you dead.”_

_“Dead?” he feigned shock. “That’s a bit extreme. What have I ever done to him?”_

_“You dishonored him,” she retorted, “you insulted him, you insulted the Clan.”_

_“In my defense, it’s only because he’s weak and the rest of you are incompetent.”_

_She seethed, silently. “Father demands your blood. It will pay the debts for your insults.”_

_“If he doesn’t want me in the Clan, I can leave.” He smiled. “In fact, I will.”_

_“It is too late for that.” She drew her katana. “Only death will sate our master.”_

_“It better not be or else he’ll be, sorely, disappointed.”_

_“I swore to bring back your head.”_

_He scoffed. “No, you won’t.”_

_“I will,” she declared. “For our family.”_

_He sobered, quickly. He knew she would be the ninja sent to kill him but, in truth, it was the last thing he wanted. “Don’t make me do this, Mei.”_

_She paused. “Neither of us have a choice.”_

_Mei rushed at Shinsuke, their swords clashed against each other. Shinsuke kicked her back, trying to hurt her enough to put her down. She got back and charged at him. He flipped her over him and threw her to the ground but she wouldn’t stay down. Shinsuke knew this would be a fight to the finish. It saddened him that Mei would have to be one who died for his freedom, but he had no choice. He would be free, no matter the cost. They fought all over the house before Shinsuke threw a candle at Mei as distraction, causing a fire to breakout in the house. They continued to battle as flames consumed the mansion. After a few minutes of combat, Shinsuke slashed across Mei’s arm, hit her in the side, and kicked her across the face. While Mei tried to get her bearings, he grabbed her head and slammed it as hard as it could against the wall, knocking her out._

_As Shinsuke got his breath back, he stood up straight, realizing the fight was won. Shinsuke stared at Mei and decided to leave her here to die, to give Iburi a message to leave him be. He started to walk out of the house when the sight of the flames stopped him. He seethed and looked back at Mei’s unconscious form._

_Shinsuke rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Damn it.”_

_He went back, picked Mei up, and carried her out of the house. Once outside and far enough away from the burning mansion, he laid her on the driveway. He stared at her for a second and shook his head. He looked at the gate to the house and the open road beyond and started to walk._

_Mei came to and realized that, not only was she out of the burning house, she was still alive. She looked around in shock and saw Shinsuke walking down the driveway. She turned over, clutching at her wounded arm. “Sh…Shinsuke…”_

_Shinsuke stopped and declared, “Consider yourself fortunate. This is the only time that I’ll help you, Mei. If he sends anyone else after me… they will be dead.” He turned and looked at her. “Even you.”_

_She stared at him in silence._

_He took his mask off and dropped it to the ground. “Get out, Mei. Get out of this life. It’s not who you are.”_

_“And who are you, Shinsuke?”_

_“I’m a killer. It’s what I do but I don’t need the Clan to do it.”_

_“I have to stay,” she insisted. “The Clan is my family.”_

_“That’s your curse, then,” he replied. “They’re not mine.”_

_“You’ll be hunted. Iburi will have your head.”_

_“Let him come and get it. I’m not afraid of him. I’m not afraid of anyone.” He sighed. “Run, Mei. Run from this life.”_

_“I can’t.”_

_“You better. Or else… you’ll be destroyed by it. Walk away, Mei. Now. While you still can.” Shinsuke walked off into the darkness, to forge his own path._

* * *

“And that was that.” Shinsuke let out a deep exhale. “I thought I would go after Iburi but I changed my mind. Instead, I, simply, left. I didn’t need to kill him. No point. His attempts to kill me had already failed. But my old master didn’t learn. He sent ninja after ninja after me… and heads were sent back in return. Eventually, the whole Clan got the hint. They stopped sending assassins after me and I stopped sending heads back to them. The rest, as they say, is history.”

Raizo exhaled, finding some similarities between them to be a slight bit eerie. “Interesting story. Why did you tell it to me?”

“Because we’re the same. We have been from the beginning!”

“You’re not going to ask me to join you, are you?”

Shinsuke laughed. “Of course not! That’s not why you’re here.”

“Then what is?” Raizo asked.

“I wanted to tell you _why_ I’m doing this.”

“I assumed for the contract.”

“Not that,” Shinsuke said. “Fighting you. Letting you live. Why I’ve let Kahler live all this time, why I’m letting the woman live.”

“Alright,” Raizo said. “Why?”

“Because I respect you, Raizo. All my life, fools have fought me. Idiots who thought they were better than me. They never were. You’re different. Kahler is different. So is the woman.”

“How?”

“None of you think you’re smarter or better than me,” Shinsuke explained. “With every plan you make, with every blow you throw at me, you prove it: you assume that I’m the superior. Not you. Do you know how rare that is? You fight to survive but you do so without one bit of hubris. It’s how you defeated Ozunu. I respect that. You’re not a foolish Clan lord or an idiot like this Jung. That’s why you’re still alive. I don’t want to fight you and beat you for these fools. When we fight to the finish, it’ll be under my terms. Understand?”

Raizo studied Shinsuke. And, despite the feeling that this was still some sort of plan, he knew Shinsuke, honestly, meant every word he just said. Raizo nodded, “I look forward to it.”

“As do I.” Shinsuke looked at the camera and saw the red light flicker. He smirked, briefly. “I told you about myself, so, I have a question for you.”

“What’s that?”

“The woman. Who is she?”

Raizo remained silent.

Shinsuke chuckled. This was all too amusing. “I just want her name, Raizo. She’s hardly on my contract list.”

“Why do you want her name?”

“Call me curious.”

Raizo debated for a few seconds then exhaled. “Mika. Mika Coretti.”

Shinsuke nodded. “Do you care for her?”

Raizo maintained his silence.

“You do. Impressive.”

Raizo couldn’t help but be curious. “Why?”

“We’re not supposed to feel, Raizo,” Shinsuke replied. “You know that.”

“You seem to have a lot of fun and you did let your own assassin live.”

“Oh, I’ve always been different. It’s _why_ I let her live.” Shinsuke smiled. “This whole thing has been fun. You, the woman, Dominic. When Atkins hired me, I never dreamed that this would be the time of my life.”

“So, you admit that Atkins hired you to kill the Studson chair members,” Raizo said.

“Of course. It won’t make a difference. Jung will die. You can’t stop that, Raizo.”

“Won’t I?”

Shinsuke’s eyebrows shot up. “Well! I may have jumped the gun on that. If anyone has a chance, you do. After all, you had the same guts I did: going against your Clan. You had to know that was a death sentence.”

“Of course.” Raizo clenched his jaw. “Maybe we are similar.”

Shinsuke nodded.

“Why did Atkins hire you? Why did he have you kill everyone?”

“Well, apparently, he doesn’t know who knows what. Pretty much everyone at Studson was scum on some level. They all had it coming for one reason or another, but Atkins managed to look like a saint to the world when the company crashed around their ears. He’s taking out the competition, if you will, so he can keep his name clean with the people. He’s not a good man, Raizo. Don’t let those ‘fatherly’ looks fool you. He’s so crooked he might as well be a Clan leader. Arms deals, trafficking. He’s a piece of work.”

“Jung?” Raizo asked.

“No better than Atkins,” Shinsuke declared. “He’s been my target from the start; just hard to find. The problem is he’d been talking to a lot of the old board members recently and others. That’s why they had to go.”

“Debra Hollis?”

“She turned into a whistleblower. I don’t think Atkins wants her dead but he has to.”

“She’s already provided the information.”

“You and I both know court cases go nowhere when the witnesses die. I didn’t even need to tell you that.”

The lights flickered for a few seconds, causing Raizo to look up at them.

“Hm,” Shinsuke mused. “High price bunker, low price electric bill.” He looked past Raizo at the camera and saw the red light flicker again. It even stayed off for five seconds before coming back on. “Shame, really. All that money and can’t keep the lights on. Dangerous when dealing with guys like us, isn’t it? Lights going off.”

“What happens next?” Raizo asked.

Shinsuke smiled. “Oh, c’mon, Raizo. You know that, among all else, we are artists. The number one rule: a trust artist never reveals his master stroke before it’s time.”

The door to the cell opened and Henry walked in. “You’re done here,” he said to Raizo. “We have what we need.”

“Cutting our time short? Oh, well. We’ll talk again, Raizo.”

Raizo stared at Shinsuke, curiously, as he still felt something was wrong. He slowly started to back away.

“Do tell Mika she’s one hell of a shot,” Shinsuke said.

Raizo turned and left the cell with Henry while Shinsuke just laughed.

* * *

Raizo went back to the office with the others, followed by Henry and his team.

“Thought he’d never shut up,” Henry complained.

“He’s always been chatty,” Kahler added.

“So,” Jung said, “he was hired by Tristin. Damned fool. I’ll deal with both of them.”

Raizo moved to the wall and leaned against. He stared back at the direction of the cell, taking into account Shinsuke’s completely unaltered demeanor given the circumstances and the length of their conversation.

Mika could see it all over his face: something was amiss. “What is it?”

“Something is very wrong,” Raizo answered.

“What do you mean?”

“He wanted me there. He wanted me to listen while he kept talking.”

“Why?” Kahler asked. “What for?”

Raizo kept his mind on that question. He thought about his mannerisms, the story, and the length of it. He looked up when he saw the lights flicker again. Suddenly, so much made sense. He looked at Jung. “Didn’t he have a phone with him that you took?”

“Yes,” Jung answered.

“And where is it?”

“My tech team is checking it for information. They cracked while you were making chitchat with him.”

Raizo exhaled as a look of fury came into his eyes.

“What’s wrong?” Mika asked.

“We have to leave,” Raizo ordered. “Now!”

Suddenly, the lights turned off in the bunker and all of the automated doors in the facility began to open.

“What the hell?!” Kahler asked.

“Oy!” Henry said to his comms. “Why are doors opening? Hey! Hello! Anyone?!” He looked at Jung. “Nothing but static.”

“What?” Jung asked. “How?”

Mika’s heart started racing and her breathing came out quicker. She looked at her love and, fearfully, whispered, “Raizo…”

* * *

Shinsuke looked around as he saw the lights go off. He let out a sigh, “Sometimes, it’s too easy.” He undid his handcuffs with great ease, letting them fall to the floor. He smiled. “Showtime.”


	11. Chapter Eleven

** Chapter Eleven **

Save for the red emergency lights, Command Sigma was almost in total darkness. Raizo, Mika, and Kahler realized simultaneously this was Shinsuke’s plan all along. He wanted to get captured. He knew he’d be brought here. He had his plan set in motion before he was ever captured and they all fell for it. Command Sigma was no longer under the control of the captors but who was thought to be the captured. These truths hit them all like a ton of bricks.

“That damn son of a bitch!” Kahler gritted.

Raizo looked around as he already knew Shinsuke was free. He took hold of Mika’s hand. “We have to get out of here.”

Kahler looked at Jung. “You need to come with us.”

“What happened?” Jung tried to check his office phone. The line was dead and his cell phone had no signal. “What is going on?”

Kahler shook his head, “He planned this and all of us helped him.”

Raizo, Mika, Kahler, and Jung moved behind Henry and his team.

“Someone activated the emergency protocols and limited the security,” Henry whispered.

“Th-that’s impossible,” Jung breathed.

They heard shouting and gunfire coming from nearby, followed by howls of death.

“We need to go!” Raizo grabbed Jung’s shirt collar and shoved him forward, “Now!”

“Go to infrared, boys,” Henry ordered.

They exited the office, found a few more team members, bringing the total of armed guards to seven and they headed for the nearest exit. Raizo kept looking toward the area of the cell and heard the gunfire and screams coming fewer and far between.

Henry looked toward the direction of the gunfire then looked at the soldiers, “All of you, go kill that son of a bitch!”

“Sir, yes, sir!” they all replied then heading off to eliminate Shinsuke.

* * *

Arriving at the computer area where his phone was kept, Shinsuke finished off the last soldier before recovering his phone. He checked to see that he had fully control on the doors and lights and the extra security measures in the area.

He heard the sound of the commandos quietly approaching.

Shinsuke smiled, “Hm.” He swiped his phone around, “Too bad this has to end this way but I do have a contract.” He activated a signal, followed by him getting low to the ground.

* * *

Henry was leading the others through the darkness when he heard machinery moving. He looked up to see red lights moving in a steady line. “THOSE ARE THE AUTOMATED GUNS!”

“Get down!” Raizo dove for the ground, taking Mika with him, while Henry and Kahler yanked Jung to the floor along with them.

Machine guns all over the bunker opened fire, immediately killing most of the remaining guards, injuring a few others, and riddling everything else in their path with bullets. Raizo and Mika clung to each other for dear life and Kahler and Henry kept their heads covered while each having a hand on Jung. Raizo peeked up every now and then to see what was visible but, so far, all he could see were bullet holes still hitting or ricocheting in all directions. After another minute, the flurry of bullets came to an abrupt end.

Raizo looked up first, looking around at the damage. He looked back and forth, in case Shinsuke was already nearby. When he didn’t see him, he looked at Mika. “Are you okay?”

Mika did a mental check to feel for any injuries. Except for being shaken, she felt fine. She nodded, “Yeah… I think so.” She looked at him. “You?”

“Fine.” Raizo looked up. “Dominic?”

“I’m alright, lad,” Kahler replied. He looked at their assigned protection. “Jung?”

“What the hell do you think you, you bastard?!” Jung asked.

Kahler groaned. This is why he hated corporate types: ungrateful. “Henry?”

“Fine, fine,” Henry got to his feet. “We need to move!”

* * *

Shinsuke stood to his feet and surveyed the destruction, very pleased to find most of the security dead but also disappointed that it was so easy to kill them. He scoffed. ‘ _Far too predictable. They barely even managed to get out of the way._ ’ He heard groaning and looked up to see a couple of commandos who were still alive. He advanced toward them and they tried to get a few shots off but it was hopeless. He killed them with ease, even taking their own assault rifles to gun them down.

He looked to make sure that they were all dead and he took a couple of handguns from the dead soldiers, a combat knife, and an assault rifle.

“Now, then,” Shinsuke said, “for Mr. Jung.”

* * *

The group headed for one of the doors that led to the garage, only to find that it was locked.

“Son of a bitch!” Henry grunted.

“Isn’t there another way out of here?!” Kahler asked.

“Yeah, we can go through the sub-basement and…”

Gun fire and bullets ricocheting off of the door interrupted Henry’s words. They ducked and Raizo peered around to see Shinsuke walking toward them with an assault rifle aimed.

Henry growled as he realized a bullet tore through his left arm. He grunted, “Shit!” He looked at Kahler, “The door to the sub-basement is over there.” He pointed their right. “It’s about 30 feet and leads to the cars. Get out of here.”

“Right,” Kahler moved toward him, “Let’s get you up, lad!”

Henry shoved him away. “Get the hell outta here, old man. Take them with you.”

Raizo looked at Henry.

Henry exhaled. “You’re like him? Then, if I don’t kill him, you better.”

Raizo nodded.

Setting his assault rifle aside, Henry suddenly stood up and fired his hand gun with his right hand, forcing Shinsuke to duck out of the way. With Shinsuke distracted, Raizo led the others to the sub-basement access door.

When the gun fire ceased, Shinsuke peeked around the corner and saw Henry standing there with a bloody arm and a combat knife drawn. Finding this to be curious, Shinsuke walked from behind the pillar, with the assault rifle drawn, as he cautiously approached him.

When he saw Henry was standing his ground, Shinsuke smirked. “Are you serious?”

“You have a contract?” Henry replied. “I’ve got one, too.”

Shinsuke nodded. He lowered the assault rifle, removed the clip, and emptied the last round. He tossed the weapon aside and drew the knife he commandeered. “I do like you Tenzan company boys.”

“Shut the hell up!”

Henry rushed at Shinsuke and tried to stab him, immediately. Shinsuke sidestepped him and moved out of the way of the next attempt to swipe him. Shinsuke kicked Henry across the face and elbowed him in the plexus. Shinsuke kneed Henry in the gut and flipped over, slamming him face first the ground. Shinsuke lifted Henry up by the hair, slammed him into the ground again, picked him up again, and rammed his knee into his face as hard as he could, breaking Henry’s nose.

Henry writhed on the ground in pain.

Shinsuke sighed. “Too bad, really. I actually have respect for you standing up to me.” He grabbed Henry and put him in a headlock.

Henry was powerless to fight him off.

“But, like you said…” Shinsuke tightened his grip. “…we both have a contract.” He jerked his body and Henry’s neck, quickly and violently to the left. Shinsuke let Henry’s corpse fall and he stood up straight. “You have my respect.” He rushed after his quarry.

* * *

The group ran until they were almost to the staircase that led to the garage when gunshots cut them off again. They all took cover as best they could, Raizo and Mika pressing themselves up against a wall and Kahler pulling Jung down to the ground behind some boxes. There was a lull in between the gunfire, Raizo knew that those were warning shots.

“He… he-he-he-he killed Henry…” Jung breathed out as all the blood left his face.

“Yeah, with you next on the list,” Kahler mused.

“Dominic!” Mika whispered, harshly.

“There’s no way he doesn’t already know that.”

Raizo braced himself for the coming fight. He whispered to Mika, “You have to get out of here.”

“And leave you here?” Mika asked.

“It’s not the first time. You don’t have a choice.”

Mika exhaled. “I hate that I can’t ever help you.”

“This is help,” Raizo said. “I have someone I can trust.”

She felt relief at that. It felt like she was doing something worthwhile.

He looked back down the darkened corridor. “GO!” He took off down the corridor, dodging bullets by constantly running in a controlled erratic path.

“LET’S GO!” Mika shouted at Kahler and Jung, “COME ON!” They raced up the stairs, heading to the garage.

Raizo rushed down the corridor and finally caught sight of his adversary while Shinsuke was in the middle of changing out his clip. Raizo stepped up his speed and threw his shoulder right into Shinsuke’s gut, knocking him to the ground just as Shinsuke finished reloading. They wrestled for a few minutes, Raizo kicking Shinsuke’s gun away, before Shinsuke pushed Raizo off of him and they stood in a face off.

“Like I said, I have no problem admitting you impress me, Raizo,” Shinsuke declared. “You and your friends. You actually forced me to come up with a complicated plan to get Jung. Of course, him hiring the Tanzen Company wasn’t something I expected. But as you can see… he should’ve hired more men.”

Raizo entered a fighting stance.

“As much as I would like this to be our actual final fight, Raizo, and I would _love_ it, I have business with Mr. Jung and, honestly, I’m in a hurry. I don’t have time for fun, I’m afraid.”

Shinsuke, quickly, drew his other pistol and fired, causing Raizo to duck and throw a shuriken in response. Shinsuke managed to avoid it and fired at Raizo again, who rolled out of the way. In a move that surprised Shinsuke, Raizo deployed a pair of sais and went on the attack. Shinsuke used his pistol to block the weapons and fired a few times in an effort to hit Raizo anywhere he could. A bullet grazed Raizo’s cheek but he kicked Shinsuke in the side and pushed him away. Raizo went to kick Shinsuke but Shinsuke rolled and picked up the other gun and fired; Raizo moved out of the path of the bullets. Shinsuke got to his feet and fired, backing away from Raizo as he tried to continue after Jung. Shinsuke looked off only once to make sure he didn’t trip over anything but that one second distraction gave Raizo enough time to tackle him again. Shinsuke grunted and tried to fight Raizo off but only found himself without both of his guns. Shinsuke drew his knife and tried for a swipe but Raizo dodged the attack and slashed Shinsuke across the gut with a sai, drawing a shout of pain from Shinsuke.

Shinsuke moved back from Raizo, pressing his hand to the wound. Seething, he moved his hand up to see blood pouring from it. “Damn it…”

Shinsuke looked at Raizo, who was clearly ready to continue. Ignoring the pain, Shinsuke charged at Raizo, leading with a punch but catching Raizo with a kick. Shinsuke managed to knock Raizo’s sais away then he grabbed Raizo and threw him against a wall.

“I really don’t have time for this!” Shinsuke growled.

He kneed Raizo in the gut and punched him in the side of the head, knocking Raizo down. He didn’t wait to see if Raizo was down for the count; with the wound in his gut, he had to finish this quickly before he lost too much blood. He quickly picked up one of the pistols and ran as fast as he could for the garage.

Raizo groaned, head a little cloudy, but he got up and chased after Shinsuke.

* * *

Mika and Kahler found a car and worked hard to get it started, Kahler having to hotwire it. Mika was in the passenger’s seat with her service weapon drawn while Jung cowered in the back seat.

“Dominic?” Mika asked.

“Trying,” Kahler kept trying to make the wires spark enough to get the engine going.

Mika heard the door to the sub-basement open. “Dominic!”

Kahler sparked the wires once more and started the car up. He sat up, threw the car in drive, and peeled out of Command Sigma.

* * *

Still clutching down on his stomach, Shinsuke emerged from the corridor, into the garage, and saw the car drive off; he grunted and ran for the nearest car and got into it. He pulled out the wires and attempted to start it. He almost had it when he just dodged a sai from slashing across his face, courtesy of Raizo. Raizo pulled Shinsuke out of the car and fought him again. They brawled and Raizo managed to slash Shinsuke across the arm with the other sai. Shinsuke growled and entered into in a rage; he punched and kicked Raizo frequently enough and hard enough to daze him, forced Raizo to drop his sai, kneed him in the gut once again, then threw him on the hood of another car. Shinsuke grabbed Raizo again and, with a yell, threw him hard enough to put him through the windshield of the car.

The blood loss hit Shinsuke hard enough to cause him to stop for a second. He realized that he didn’t have the energy to fight Raizo and kill Jung; he decided to finish his part of the contract. After getting enough breath to continue, Shinsuke looked to see the smoke from the car that Mika and the others escaped in still in the garage. He ran back to the car and started the engine; he threw it into gear and chased after them.

After a few minutes to get his bearings back, Raizo pulled himself together, sitting up in the car seat he landed in. He pulled out the more troublesome glass pieces in his body and got to work hotwiring the car. Due to the pain, it took him a while to finally get it going but, once he did, he started it up and followed after Shinsuke.

* * *

Kahler looked behind him and saw Shinsuke’s car fast approaching them. “Shit!”

Mika looked behind them. “I cannot handle another car chase with him!”

“No choice! Hold on!” Kahler slammed his foot even harder on the pedal.

They pushed the car hard to get back to London. Mika tried to make a call to Maslow to get some kind of help but all of the occupants had to duck down when bullets hit the back windshield, shattering it after a few shots. Mika stayed ducked down but a part of her couldn’t help but wonder what happened to Raizo. She was trusting he was okay, but she didn’t have any current evidence to the contrary and she couldn’t focus on it now. All she and Kahler could focus on was how to get out of this alive.

A few more shots later, one of the bullets tore through Kahler’s left shoulder. “GOD!” he screamed, driving with right hand as his left hand fell. “Son of a _bitch!_ ”

Mika looked up and worried, “Oh, God! Dominic!”

Kahler gritted his teeth, “I can still drive! SHOOT THAT BLOODY BASTARD!”

Mika looked back at Jung. “Stay down!” She turned, quickly, and fired back at Shinsuke.

Shinsuke drifted out of the path of the bullets. He was groaning as he realized that his blood loss was starting to get to the dangerous zone. He accelerated, pulling up next to the car, and he slammed his car into the side of their car, causing them to spinout some. Mika tried to aim her gun again but Shinsuke slammed into them again. Between the car being rammed into and Kahler’s wound, it only took one more hit to knock the car out of control. The car spun out and Shinsuke pushed it further down the road. Jung stuck his head for a second and looked right at Shinsuke.

Shinsuke had his gun aimed for the door and shot him in the gut, causing Jung to scream.

“Shit!” Mika screamed while Jung gritted his teeth.

Shinsuke kept pushing their car until it skidded off of the side of the road. It didn’t flip over and it did rock the occupants enough to leave them very dazed and confused.

Shinsuke pulled to a stop, exiting his vehicle quickly. He was still holding his gut but he had his gun drawn. He looked in the backseat and saw that he did, in fact, hit Jung. He scoffed. “Amazing. Half dead and I’m still a good shot.” He saw Kahler with the hole in his shoulder and exhaled, ruefully. “Dammit, Dominic. Always the hero. You better not die on me. You don’t have permission to.”

“Go to hell, you bloody bastard,” Kahler groaned out.

“Already have my ticket punched.” Shinsuke saw Mika and had his gun trained on her before she could even touch hers.

She did try, though.

“Don’t,” Shinsuke ordered.

Mika looked up at Shinsuke.

“Please, don’t, Mika. I’d rather not.”

Mika, slowly, put her hands in the air.

“Your gun, please,” Shinsuke requested. “Dominic’s, too.”

Mika exhaled and handed over her weapon and Kahler’s. Shinsuke unloaded both guns, removed the sliders, and tossed them away.

Shinsuke looked at Mika and nodded, “Thank you.” He looked at Jung. “Get out.”

As much as he was already shaking from the wound and the blood loss, Jung’s fear was causing his body to spasm and that same fear kept him from moving.

“Now.”

Already knowing what would happen, Jung got out of the car, slowly.

Shinsuke aimed his gun at his head, letting out a ragged breath. “For the record, Mr. Jung, while killing you isn’t personal, I, honestly, don’t like you or Atkins. The only reason I’m killing you and not him is because he hired me first.”

“Please,” Jung cried, tears starting to fall from his eyes. “Please. I’ll pay you whatever you want! 10 times what Atkins paid you! More! I swear! _I swear!_ ”

Shinsuke rolled his eyes and groaned.

“Just please! Please! Don’t do this, please! I’m begging you! Please!”

The gunshot was sudden and sounded like a cannon in the night. Mika let out a quick shriek and Kahler’s eyes went wide. They stared in shock and watched helplessly as Jung’s corpse crumpled to the ground.

Shinsuke lowered his gun. He growled, “I fucking _hate_ it when they beg! At least, die with dignity.”

Mika’s breathing was stunted as she didn’t know what would happen next.

Shinsuke looked at her and Kahler and groaned. “Sadly, our time together is coming to an end,” he approached them, “but there is still much to do. Hollis, for one. I suggest you keep her moving.” He heard a car, quickly oncoming in the distance. He knew it could only be one person. He pulled out a red shuriken. “Until the next time.” He tossed the shuriken in between Mika and Kahler. He ran for his car, jumped in, and sped off.

Mika exhaled, grateful to be alive. She took off her jacket to use it to stop the blood flow from Kahler’s wound. She applied pressure on the wound, drawing a long groan of pain from him. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” she cried.

Kahler let out a few exhales and shook his head, “Don’t be.”

Another car approached, skidding to stop on the road, and Raizo got out. He saw Jung’s corpse lying on the ground and exhaled. He looked in the car, “Mika?!”

“I’m alright, Raizo,” Mika replied. “But…” She motioned toward Kahler.

Raizo looked at him, “Kahler…”

“I’ll be alright, lad,” Kahler replied, sucking in air.

Raizo helped Mika apply pressure to Kahler’s wound to help stop the blood flow.

Mika pulled out her phone and started to dial Maslow but stopped. “Raizo,” she said with ragged breath as she looked at him, “what do we do now?”

Raizo looked at her, at Kahler, then at Jung’s body and exhaled. That was a very good question. It frustrated him that he had no answer.


	12. Chapter Twelve

** Chapter Twelve **

After getting touch with Maslow, Raizo and Mika rushed Kahler to the hospital. The doctors removed the bullet from his shoulder and he was resting comfortably, but the problem now stood of what would happen next. With Jung dead and Shinsuke still out there, it was a matter of what moves needed to be made next; either keep moving and protecting Hollis or see if there was another target still out there. After informing Maslow of everything, Mika and Raizo stayed at the hospital to make sure Kahler would be alright; in turn, Maslow went to work keeping Hollis out of anyone’s radar and doing more digging into the case to find if there was anyone left for Shinsuke to target.

Mika stood looking over Kahler as he laid in the recovery bed, nervously biting her nails, while Raizo stood with his arms folded and leaning against the wall.

After 20 minutes of sleeping, Kahler opened his eyes and looked them both. “Oh, God. I’m not dead. So, stop looking at me like that.”

“Just…” Mika said, breathing a sigh of relief, “got close enough.”

“It was a bullet through the shoulder. Believe me, I’ve been through worse.”

Mika shrugged, “I wasn’t there for those. I’m here for this one.”

Kahler chuckled. “Such a caring girl. You can’t cry for old dogs like me.”

“Why not? I like dogs, too.”

They all laughed at that, even though it caused pain to shoot through Kahler.

Kahler leaned back and looked at Raizo. “You rattled him. You actually slowed him down. You hurt him. He knows he’s met his match. You have to find him. Keep Hollis safe. Stop Shinsuke. I believe you can.”

Raizo nodded.

“We’re going to get him,” Mika assured.

Kahler looked at Mika and smiled. “Sweet eyes, strong fire behind them.” He looked at Raizo, “Easy to see why you fell for this girl.”

Raizo smiled and looked away.

Kahler looked back at Mika. “And the other way around.”

She just laughed.

“Did we ever hide it from you?” Raizo asked.

“You did,” Kahler admitted. “For a while. But, after your night tracking Atkins, I could tell.”

“Mind not telling Maslow?” Mika asked. “I don’t need the teasing. Not yet, anyway.”

“Your secret is safe with me but we need to finish this. You, two, go. Get back on the hunt. I’ll be just fine.”

“Are you sure?” Raizo asked.

“You’re getting soft, boy,” Kahler said. “Something tells me you would ditch dead weight.”

“Dead weight, yes.” Raizo smiled. “Not friends.”

Kahler smiled back. “I’m fine. And nothing would make me happier than to hear you brought that bastard down.”

* * *

Shinsuke stumbled into his hideout, still dripping blood from his stomach. The patch job he had in place was lousy and he knew it, but it was enough to keep him alive, though it wouldn’t last much longer. He groaned as he went over to his wooden chest. He opened it up and pulled out several herbs, heated up some water, and, quickly, put the mixture together. He removed his patch and tied proper bandages in their place. Once the wound was covered and he knew his brew was ready, he poured the concoction over his wound, letting the purple colored substance sink through the bandages and bind his wounds. He growled as the substance burned as it went to work knitting his skin back together. When it reached its full potency, Shinsuke screamed out loud, sinking to the floor into the fetal position. After the first wave of pain passed, he stayed on the floor, breathing heavily.

A few heavy breaths turned into light chuckle. The chuckle became full-blown laughter, “Raizo, Raizo, Raizo.” He rolled over to his back. “You wounded me. You hit me hard.” He, slowly, got to his feet. “I am… very impressed!” He laughed. “This is the best job.” His cell phone rang and he answered it, “Hello?”

“ _Is it done?_ ” Atkins asked.

“Yes. Jung is dead.”

“ _And Hollis?_ ”

“I’ll deal with her.”

“ _Good luck finding her. Europol’s hidden her and no one can get the location._ ”

“They’ll make a mistake,” Shinsuke declared. “They always do.”

“ _In the meantime, I have one last name,_ ” Atkins informed.

Shinsuke perked up. “Really?”

“ _Yes. Coward had an ace up his sleeve._ ”

“In what way?”

“ _He was trying to go the legal way to get to me. I have the name of the lawyer who Coward sent his information to._ ”

“Which would be?”

“ _Tyler Patton,_ ” Atkins informed.

“Alright,” Shinsuke said. “I’ll deal with him.”

“ _Europol has his name, as well, I believe. My sources say that they’ve been working around the clock to stop these murders._ ”

Shinsuke scoffed. “No surprise there. I’ll need a little while before I head after Mr. Patton, however.”

“ _Why?_ ” Atkins asked. “ _What happened?_ ”

“A little… incident. It’s nothing to be concerned about.”

“ _What type of incident?_ ”

“Nothing to be concerned about,” Shinsuke repeated. “I was just a matter of a small injury. That’s all.”

“ _Injury._ You _sustained an injury._ ”

Shinsuke could hear the disappointment in Atkins’s voice. “It’s an occupational hazard, good sir. It’s not the first time I’ve been injured.”

Atkins remained silent.

“I’ll take care of this. Leave everything to me.”

“ _See that you do. I’m paying you quite a bit._ ”

“You don’t need to worry about me,” Shinsuke reassured. “I know what I’m doing.”

“ _For your sake, I hope so,_ ” Atkins threatened.

“Careful, Mr. Atkins. I don’t take kindly to threats.”

Atkins stayed silent.

Shinsuke exhaled. “I _will_ handle it. Stop being so concerned.” He ended the call and stared at his cell phone. This venture was beginning to come to a close and, given Atkins’s obvious displeasure with the news of his wound, he was hoping that it wouldn’t end like he was beginning to think it might have to. Nevertheless, he would deal with whatever came next. After a good night of sleep.

* * *

Maslow flipped through the pages of reports he received pertaining to this case, looking for any pattern or edge but nothing was coming up. It was all too much; Shinsuke, the assassinations, and the fact that this man was amazingly good. Maslow was looking through a series of contacts Coward had when one name caught his attention: Tyler Patton. Maslow pulled the file out and read a series of emails going back and forth between the two. From the conversations between them, Patton was a lawyer and Coward was looking for a way to implicate Atkins in all of their dealings; the conversations ended with Patton promising to look into it. The last email was a reply of gratitude from Coward, sent hours before his death.

Maslow knew Patton was the last target but the name sounded so familiar. “Damn it, where do I know that name?” he whispered to himself as he did a quick search on the internet. He pulled up a picture of him and remembered how he knew him. “Holy shit.” He sat back rubbing his forehead as gazed at the picture. This case just went from dangerous to personal.

* * *

The following morning came and Mika and Raizo came to the office to find Maslow sitting at his desk, forlorn.

“What’s wrong?” Mika asked.

“Shut the door,” Maslow instructed.

Mika and Raizo looked at each other, concerned, but Raizo closed the door.

“What’s going on, Ryan?” Mika asked.

“We found out who the last name on the list is,” Maslow said. His face was leaving everyone worried.

“What is it?”

“Coward sent the files from the court cases to an old friend of his. A lawyer he trusted, to look them over.”

“Seeing those files would make whoever it is a target,” Mika deduced.

“Right,” Maslow agreed.

“Well, who is it?”

Maslow let out a resigned exhale and stared at Mika.

“Ryan, what’s wrong?” Mika asked, nervously.

Maslow sighed. “The name of lawyer… is Tyler Patton.”

All the air was stolen from Mika at that exact moment. She stared at Maslow for a while before slowly moving to a nearby chair and sitting down. She knew she would hear his name again, someday, but not like this. Not as a target of an assassin.

“Mika, he’s going after your…”

“I got it, Ryan,” Mika interrupted. “I got it.”

“Who is he?” Raizo asked.

“No one.” Mika’s words had some venom seeping in them.

Raizo could hear it, crystal clear, and the lie attached to them.

Maslow looked between them and raised his eyebrows, quickly, at the uncomfortable air that suddenly entered the room. “I’ll, uh… leave you two for a moment.” He got up and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Raizo watched Maslow leave then looked at Mika. “What’s going on?”

Mika avoided looking at him. “Nothing.”

“You’re lying.”

“Figure that out all by yourself, did you?”

He folded his arms. “Is Tyler Patton someone important to you?”

“No.”

He just stared at her.

She sighed. “Once. He was once. A long time ago.” She scoffed. “You probably already know.”

“I don’t know everything but I can guess.”

“Then, guess.”

“No. I want you to tell me.”

“Why?”

“You want honesty from me,” he said. “You want my past. I need yours, too.”

She stopped and shook her head. “Fine. Tyler Patton is my father.”

Raizo stared at her, completely blown away by this revelation. “Shinsuke is going to kill him.”

“And that’s why we have to stop him.”

“It’s more than that.”

“No, it’s not.”

Raizo couldn’t believe what he was hearing. This couldn’t be the same Mika. She was never so cold. “He’s your father.”

“He’s just the next target.” Mika stood up and tried to walk past him. “We have to protect him. That’s all.”

Raizo grabbed her arm, pulling her close to him so they were eye-to-eye.

“He’s your father,” he said, calmly.

Mika stared in his eyes and opened her mouth to speak. No words came out at first but the truth found its way soon. “I barely know him anymore.”

“He’s… your father.”

She couldn’t go on right away. “You don’t know what we’ve been through, what’s happened between us.”

“It can’t be enough for you to not care that someone is out to kill him.”

“Maybe not.” She couldn’t explain, though. It just hurt too much. “But you don’t understand…”

He let go of her arm. “Then tell me.”

She wanted to tell him but it was a lot and the hurt was still great. “You don’t want to get caught up in my family drama.”

“Actually, yeah, I do.”

She stared at him.

“I chose to be here, Mika. I did. I came back because I want to be here. Yes, I want to stop Shinsuke but that was never the only reason. I came back here because I want to be with you. If you have a battle to fight, I’m in it with you, even if it’s a family problem.”

She had really underestimated how much he cared about her. She always saw the warrior; she kept forgetting to see the man. It was as clear now as it had ever been.

“You can tell me,” he said, relaxingly.

She sighed. It’s not that she didn’t trust Raizo; that wasn’t it at all. It had just been so long since she talked about this and the pain never really went away.

“I moved to Berlin so I could get away from all of this,” Mika said.

But Raizo needed to know. He deserved to know. She wanted to him to know. She just had to get this story out. She sat back down, Raizo sat in the chair next to her.

She steeled herself as much as she could and began, “My dad and my mother got a divorce when I was a kid. He… tended not to be the best man in those days. When I was old enough and learned everything, I took my mother’s maiden name. Seemed like the right thing to do. My mother died three years ago.”

His face gave way to sadness. He bowed his head down for a second then looked back at her. “I’m sorry.”

She sniffed. Just thinking about her mother could always bring up tears. “It’s alright. I’ve dealt with that. Just… not with him, what he did.” She shook her head. “He walked into the funeral… with his new wife, his stepson… and his new son.”

He sighed. So much made sense.

“He looked sad… but how sad could he have been? With his new family with him?” She wiped a tear away. “I left England, where we had been living, and, basically, never talked to him again. I just… couldn’t forgive him.”

As oblivious as he was to an actual family, that still must’ve hurt her. “Have you talked to him since then?”

She scoffed. “Of course not.”

“Then how do you know what he was feeling?”

She paused. She looked away, “I can’t do this.”

“You have to. Shinsuke is coming for him. We have to find your father and get to him before Shinsuke kills him. If your father dies before you can talk to him, you know that hurt you carry will never go away.”

She looked away from him, tears threatening to fall.

“You haven’t spoken to him since your mother’s funeral. Don’t wait until his to finally talk to him.”

She closed her eyes and nodded her head, “Alright.”

He moved closer to her and put his hand on her cheek. “It will be alright.”

She paused, leaning into his hand. “Raizo. Thank you.”

He nodded.

She exhaled. “Now, will you stop being the sweet one? I’m used to you being a badass.”

He smiled. “I’m multi-talented.”

“You don’t have to tell me.”

He smiled a little longer then put on a war face. “We better move your father. Where does he live?”

“Here, in London,” she said. “At least, last I knew.”

“We need to get him. Take him somewhere.”

“Nowhere is safe, anymore.”

“That’s doesn’t mean we don’t try.”

Mika gazed into his eyes and, once again, she found something powerful enough that it gave her strength. “Let’s do it.”

Raize kissed her and left the office, finding Maslow talking with another agent. He approached him, “We need to get Patton.”

“I know,” Maslow replied. “We’re looking for him, right now. He’s in Washington, D.C.”

“What for?” Mika asked as she approached.

“He’s been working for a company called Aimes International. Some kind of business deal that’s going to make them a lot of money. They need to be there in person to finalize it all.”

“We need to go after him!”

Maslow handed them the print out of flight tickets. “Where do you think we’re going?”

Mika stared at Maslow, “‘We’?”

“Yes, ‘we.’ That bloody bastard shot my mentor. There’s no way you’re doing this without me.”

“Fine by me,” Raizo agreed.

“We’re on double time, then,” Maslow ordered. “We don’t do this pretty. We get Patton and, if he shows up, we get Shinsuke. Alive or dead, I don’t care.”

“What about Atkins?” Mika asked.

“We’ll get Atkins soon enough but Shinsuke comes first. We can work out the rest as it comes.”

* * *

Shinsuke stared at himself in the mirror, examining the deep scar on his abdomen. He was holding one of his favorite guns, his Ruger Super Redhawk, brought it up to examine it, and smiled. “Hm. This may very well be my last job. Fine by me.”

His phone vibrated, alerting him to a text message. The location for Tyler Patton.

He nodded, approvingly, looked back at the mirror, and exhaled. “Let’s put the chips down once and for all. C’mon, Raizo. Show me what you got.”

* * *

After Atkins sent the location of Tyler Patton to Shinsuke, he sat back, contemplating his next move. He removed the contents from his pockets, tossing the items casually on his desk. After wallet hit the top of the desk, Atkins noticed a small wire sticking out of it. He pulled his wallet back toward him and tugged on the wire to find the radio bug hidden within. Instantly, his mind raged at the only logical possibility: Shinsuke had bugged him.

‘ _That… bastard…_ ’ Atkins thought, shaking with rage.

That settled it. Something had to be done and it had to be done as soon as Shinsuke killed Patton. He knew what he was considering was dangerous but, if he truly wanted this to go off without any problems, he needed to eliminate all loose ends. Shinsuke just made himself one. Hollis was still out there but one well-placed bullet could take care of that. For now, the assassin, himself, needed to be eliminated. Atkins retrieved a second cell phone, went into his bathroom, turned on the shower to add extra noise, and dialed.

“ _Hello?_ ” the other line answered.

“Michael?” Atkins asked.

“ _Yes, Mr. Atkins?_ ”

“I have a very serious matter, a loose end that needs tying up.”

“ _Of course, sir._ ”

“Meet me at the airport. We’re going to America.”


	13. Chapter Thirteen

** Chapter Thirteen **

Raizo, Mika, and Maslow sat on the plane to D.C. with nervous anticipation. Mika was practically biting her nails off; she was almost starting to feel nauseated at the idea of Shinsuke killing her father, though she knew seeing him wouldn’t be the greatest meeting, either. She closed her eyes and remembered all the times they even attempted to straighten things out and everything she ever said to Patton. None of those meetings ever ended well. She hoped this one would be better. The odds weren’t in her favor or Patton’s.

Raizo could feel Mika’s anguish and saw it written all over her face. He knew Maslow was sitting across the aisle from them but he didn’t care. He put his hand on top of hers. She looked at him and smiled. She knew about the decorum they were trying to keep as well but stopped caring. Mika leaned over and rested her head on Raizo’s shoulder.

“It’s going to be okay,” Raizo whispered.

“Thank you,” Mika replied.

Maslow glanced over at them, rolled his eyes, set his paper down, and groaned, getting the couple’s attention, “Oh, dear God! You both could not be more obvious if you tried.”

Mika closed her eyes and shook her head. She looked at Maslow, “We didn’t hide it from you, either?”

“Oh, give me a damn break, Mika! I’m not some blind statesmen. You two were so damn obvious I just let it ride until you two were ready to talk about it.”

“Do you want us to talk about it?”

“Hell, no. Just… as long as you stay professional when the homicidal maniac shows up.”

“We promise,” Mika said.

Maslow pulled his paper back up, “Carry on.”

Raizo chuckled. He looked back at Mika and kissed the top of her head. “We’re going to save him.”

“Thank you,” Mika whispered.

“About bloody time,” Maslow whispered.

* * *

Shinsuke was staring out of the window of his plane when he received a phone call. “Hello?”

“ _Atkins departed for his private plane an hour ago,_ ” the female voice said on the other line.

“Where’s he headed?”

“ _I_ _couldn’t find out._ ”

He sat back for a few seconds then smiled. “I know where he’s going.”

“ _He wouldn’t dare!_ ” she said.

“We both know better. Plenty of people have tried to betray me.”

“ _Maybe he needs to be taken care of._ ”

“Only if he actually tries,” he said. “I make no moves unless one is made. Part of the contract.”

“ _What about the Ozunu?_ ”

“Time to finish this. In a more old school way. Raizo’s earned some tradition.”

“ _You’re not going to kill Patton, are you?_ ” she asked.

“Only if Raizo loses,” he answered.

“ _You’re basing much of the conclusion of this business on ‘only if’._ ”

“I know. Exciting, isn’t it?”

“ _What’s your plan?_ ”

He smirked. “Endgame.”

She gasped. “ _Wait. Are you sure?_ ”

“Yes. He’s earned it and I do think it’s time.”

“ _Very well. Will you need your cloak and katana?_ ”

“Please.”

“ _Very well._ ” She paused. “ _Be cautious._ ”

“I always am.” He ended the call and looked out of the window again. “One last show.”

* * *

Mika, Raizo, and Maslow arrived in D.C. that night, just after 10, and headed straight for 1090 Vermont Avenue, where Patton was finishing his business deal. Maslow drove the car as hard and fast as he could to get to the building and arrived there minutes after landing in D.C. They rushed to the top level of the office building and went toward the corner board room. When they rounded the corner near the board room, Mika stopped when she saw a fair-skinned woman in her early forties, wearing a dark green dress, sitting and reading a magazine. Shelia Patton, Mika’s father’s wife of six years.

Shelia looked at up and stared at Mika. Her eyes widened, “Mika?”

Mika exhaled, harshly. She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Hello, Shelia.”

“What the hell are you doing here?”

Mika opened her mouth.

“Ryan Maslow, Europol,” Maslow interrupted. “Where is your husband, Mrs. Patton?”

Mika looked at Maslow, surprised he figured that out so fast.

Maslow looked at Mika, “That shocked you? After what else I already put together?”

Mika shook her head, accepting that. She looked back Shelia. “Where’s my father?”

“Why do you need him?” Shelia asked with a lot of venom in her voice.

“We’re not doing this,” Maslow declared. He looked back at Shelia, “Where is he?”

“He’s in a meeting.”

Maslow rolled his eyes, “Thank you. We’ll find him.” He walked on with Raizo and Mika following him, though Mika stared at Shelia for a little longer before fully focusing on the same direction. Shelia got up and followed after them. They came to a board room where an older Caucasian man was just exiting.

The man stopped and looked Shelia, “Friends of yours, Shelia?”

“Not mine, Myles,” Shelia said. “They’re with Europol, here to see Tyler.”

“Oh.” Myles looked at the team, seriously. “Nothing involving legal, I hope.”

Raizo’s attention was diverted momentarily by a janitor passing by with his cleaning cart. He didn’t know why but something about that caught his attention.

“I’d hate to have to go get an attorney.”

“Sir,” Maslow said, “if it were anything that trivial, trust me, I’d send an email. It’s a slightly more serious matter than that. Now, where is Mr. Patton?”

Myles stared at him for a second longer then showed them inside the board room.

They walked in and Mika came to a dead stop when she saw her father. Raizo noticed that, while Mika and Tyler shared the same dark skin, there were only trace similarities otherwise. He did seem to be a bit older than Raizo expected as there were patches of grey starting to appear on the edges of hair.

Tyler looked up, saw Mika, and his mouth slowly came ajar. “Mika?”

It took Mika thirty seconds to realize that she hadn’t said anything. She exhaled, “Dad.” It was hard to keep all of the anger out of her voice, even harder to keep from crying from all of the hurt she had been through because of him, but she managed well enough.

Maslow pulled out his badge, “Mr. Patton, I’m Ryan Maslow with Europol and, boy, are we glad to see you!” He paused. “For the most part.”

“Really?” Tyler asked. “What is this about?”

“I’d rather explain as we’re leaving.”

“I can’t leave yet. I have papers to sign first.”

“Sign ‘em tomorrow,” Mika walked toward him, “We need to leave. Now!”

“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what this is about,” Tyler replied. “What are you doing here, Mika?”

“You won’t believe me, if I tell you. So, for once, just trust me and I’ll explain later.”

Tyler folded his arms, “And what makes you think I should trust you?”

Mika narrowed her eyes, “What makes you think…”

“This is the first time I’ve seen you in years.”

“Three. Mom’s funeral was the last time.”

At this point, Myles looked at them all and slowly walked out, “I’ll leave this to you, Tyler.”

“Thank you, Myles,” Tyler said. “I’ll finish the paperwork after this is dealt with. Don’t worry.”

Myles nodded and left.

“Making promises you can’t keep,” Mika said. “Not the first time you’ve done that.”

“Mika, not now!” Maslow growled.

“What is this about?” Tyler asked. “Is this the only way you can face me? You have to bring you job into it!” He looked at Raizo, “And he doesn’t look very European to me.”

“Special operative.” Maslow shook his head, “Screw this. Mr. Patton, did you know Jason Coward?”

“Yes. He was an old friend of mine.”

“And you know he was assassinated just days ago?”

“I heard he was murdered. ‘Assassinated’ is a stretch.”

“Not in this case,” Maslow replied. “He sent you some emails about some recent business with Studson International, namely Tristin Atkins, correct?”

“That’s no concern of yours,” Tyler responded.

“You may think I’m an idiot cop, Mr. Patton, but I know a ‘yes’ when I hear one.”

Tyler somewhat conceded, “So, what?”

“Those emails made you a target,” Mika declared. “A very proficient, highly-skilled assassin is coming to kill you.”

Tyler gawked at Maslow in silence. “An assassin? Coming to kill me?”

“Yes. And, I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t sound like I told you your car needs new tires.”

Tyler glared at Mika for a long time. “Wow. I’d never thought you’d stoop this low, Mika.”

Mika jerked her head back. “Low?”

“Yes. You use my friend’s murder against me? To what? Force a family reunion?”

Mika’s mouth fell open as she struggled to comprehend this. “You honestly think I’m that much of a bitch that I would do something like that?”

Tyler didn’t answer right away.

“You know…” Mika motioned toward Raizo and Maslow, “they had to convince me to come try and help you with this.” She shook her head, “I should’ve listen to my own instincts and realized that you’re the same _bastard_ you always were!”

Tyler’s face hardened as he let out an exhale.

“Here we go,” Maslow whispered, scratching the back of his head.

Tyler shook his head, “No, there’s no assassin after me. This is all just a very sick, very twisted game you’re playing at. And the fact that you are here trying to disrupt my life just to force me to talk to you is despicable.”

Mika stared at Tyler in disbelief. “Is that really what you think? Is that all you think matters to me? You think I’d waste all this time to talk to you? I moved to Berlin to get the hell away from you, you bastard!”

“You’re going to stop calling me that!”

“I’ll stop using the word when it stops being appropriate!”

They continued to argue around in circles. Maslow looked at Raizo, clearly exasperated with this drama. Raizo gave a small shrug. Taking that as confirmation to end this any way he could, Maslow drew his gun, raised it to eye-level, and cocked it back. All talking ceased, immediately.

“I’m all for a good family squabble,” Maslow said, calmly. “It’s how my family says grace at Christmas.” He looked at them all and voice became colder, “But this shit is going to stop! Right here, right now. There is a fucking assassin as good as this one,” he, quickly, pointed at Raizo, “coming here to kill you, Mr. Patton, and I know you don’t know him but, I guarantee you, you have never seen shit like what he is capable of.”

Raizo gave a small smirk. Tyler caught it and something about it confirmed what Maslow said.

“Now, calling you a ‘bastard’ may be a bit strong at the moment but you’re doing nothing to prove otherwise. That being said, you both can argue to your hearts content at another time and another place. Because that very same assassin, for all we know, is in the building right and he could be carrying a goddamned rocket launcher and, quite frankly, we don’t have any time for this _bullshit!_ ” He shouted the last word to drive his point home. Mika wasn’t aware he could shout that loud short of gunfire being involved.

Raizo held his smirk, finding it hard to keep it from spreading to a grin.

Maslow regained his calm demeanor and tone, “Mr. Patton. Whether you and your wife walk out of here or we drag your asses out, doesn’t really matter to me. I’m good, either way, because, either way, we’re leaving. You have two seconds to decide how. One.”

“We’ll walk,” Tyler said, quickly and angrily. “Thank you.”

“Very good.”

Tyler grabbed his coat and proceeded out of the board room with Mika and Shelia following and Raizo and Maslow taking up the rear.

“Nicely handled,” Raizo admitted to Maslow.

“Don’t be too impressed,” Maslow clicked the hammer back in and holstered his gun. “That’s how I get my family to sit down, shut the hell up, and eat during the holidays.”

Raizo smirked. “What do you for small talk?”

“It usually involves one or two bloody noses. I won’t say on which end of those I am.”

“I’d rather use my imagination.”

Maslow chuckled.

Feeling an immense amount of disappointment in herself at how she handled the situation, Mika exhaled, “Ryan, I…”

“Forget it,” Maslow waved it off. “We all knew this wouldn’t be easy for you. Just didn’t think I’d have to pull my gun.”

Mika smiled. “Yes, you did.”

“Alright, I did, but I thought it would take longer than that.”

They made it to one of the hallways they came from previously, still a good ways from the elevator, when Raizo hurried in front of the group and stopped in his tracks, causing everyone to stop.

“Raizo?” Mika asked.

Raizo stared at the other end of the hallway to see the same janitor’s cart standing, suspiciously, by itself.

Tyler looked at the cart then back at Raizo. “Did it kill your family?”

Maslow groaned while Raizo looked back and forth up the hallway. Suddenly, all of the lights in the building went out with only the emergency lights and the lights from outside shining in the building.

“Must… be a power outage,” Shelia pointed out.

“Only on one building?” Maslow asked, motioning towards the fact that light was coming from the other buildings.

Then, the lights of the building on the block went out as well.

“Damn it.”

Mika found it hard to catch her breath. This scene was all too familiar to her.

Shifting his eyes back toward the hallway, Raizo stepped forward and stared straight ahead, into the darkness toward the direction of the elevators. “I didn’t know you’d get here so fast,” he said in a still voice. “I’m even more impressed with your methods.”

“I thought you might be,” Shinsuke’s voice echoed down the hallway. “It added a certain dramatic flair that I imagined you’d appreciate.”

Tyler and Shelia looked all around, trying to place where the voice came from. Maslow and Mika drew their guns.

Shinsuke chuckled. “It’s always fun to see the first timers when I do this. Right now, their thinking ‘where could that voice be coming from’ or ‘mind is playing tricks on me.’” He scoffed. “I wonder…” Out of the shadows against the wall, Shinsuke slowly stepped out, blocking their path. He was holding a Japanese katana and, much to Raizo’s and Mika’s surprise, cloaked in full _Hanta Kirra_ attire sans his mask. “…have any of them ever thought, ‘that’s the last voice I’ll hear before I die’?”

“Oh, shit!” Maslow gritted through his teeth as he, quickly, aimed his gun at Shinsuke, as did Mika.

“Wh-where the h-hell did he come from?” Tyler asked, fear gripping him. Shelia took a step back as well.

“That’s him,” Mika answered.

“What he just did…” Shelia whispered. “…th-that’s impossible.”

“That’s more of a relative term, ma’am,” Shinsuke declared. “What you mean is it’s impossible for you. I can do it just fine.”

Tyler and Shelia felt their skin crawl at his words and his body language. This man’s demeanor was far too similar to a lion ready to pounce and they were feeling far too similar to an antelope.

“So, he’s Tyler Patton. His bio told me that he only has two kids; his stepson and biological son. Seems he’s a liar.” Shinsuke shrugged, “That shouldn’t have surprised me. He is a lawyer, after all. What’s denying an extra kid?” He looked at Mika, “Don’t take it too hard that he doesn’t acknowledge you, Mika. Myself and Raizo would much rather our surrogate fathers had cast us aside years ago. You may have gotten the better end of that deal.”

Mika stared in surprise, her gun slowly lowering, “How did you know?”

“Wasn’t hard. He didn’t make it easy, the way he tried to bury you and your mother told me he was hiding something. But that was the very reason why I had to find out. I had to make sure that he wasn’t a… former professional killer or something.” Shinsuke scoffed. “I didn’t know he was just a coward who couldn’t admit that he couldn’t be a faithful husband.” He stared at Shelia. “To either wife.”

Shelia narrowed her eyes.

“You might want to consider firing that nanny he hired, Mrs. Patton. Or, at the very least, make sure you frequent the café by her house where she and your husband like to meet. Word to the wise.”

Shelia looked at Tyler with rage and fear mixed together.

“Shinsuke,” Maslow said, “don’t come in any closer.”

Shinsuke studied Maslow, “Ryan Maslow, right? Pleasure to finally meet you, face-to-face. You’re pretty smart, despite your higher-ups.”

“Yeah, I think that a lot.”

“You can believe it.” Shinsuke sighed. “You can put the guns down. If I wanted to take a shot, I would have already.”

Knowing he was right, Mika exhaled and lowered her gun. Not wanting to but also realizing the truth, Maslow did the same. They remained pensive but they knew that there was something more going on here.

“What do you want?” Raizo asked.

“A chance to settle this,” Shinsuke professed. “Are you ready for it to end?”

Raizo stared at him, silently and fiercely.

Shinsuke smiled. “I’ll take that as a ‘yes.’” He looked at Maslow, “You know, by now, Tristan Atkins is the one who hired, yes?”

“Yeah,” Maslow answered, begrudgingly.

“Good.” Shinsuke lifted his hand and produced a flash drive. “You may need this.” He tossed it at Maslow, who caught it in the air. “Atkins is on his way here.”

“How do you know that?”

Shinsuke smiled. “Trust me.” He looked at Raizo. “He wasn’t thrilled when I actually lost a fight. Although, I must admit,” he let out a chuckle, “nothing got my blood pumping more.”

“Evident by you bleeding everywhere,” Mika pointed out.

Shinsuke looked at Mika in shock then let out a hearty laugh. “Oh, Mika, Mika. I like you a lot!”

“In your dreams.”

“One can always dream.”

“Alright, that’s enough!” Maslow declared. “What do you want?”

“Like I said,” Shinsuke aimed his sword at Raizo, “to settle this.”

Raizo narrowed his eyes at Shinsuke.

“Don’t you get it, yet, Raizo?” Shinsuke spread his arms in grandiose fashion, “That’s what this has been. All of it. You and me. Every step you took toward killing Ozunu, every contract I’ve ever accepted.” He lowered his arms, “It’s all led to this. Let the old men bicker about gold. We will see who the superior warrior is. The only question left is… do you accept my challenge?”

Raizo considered everything about his life, Shinsuke’s life, and the similarities between the two. Perhaps they weren’t always heading for this time and place but he couldn’t deny that, recently, the path seemed to rushing toward it. Now, he could see where it ended. He stepped forward. “I accept.”

Shinsuke smiled, “You’ve just made my life.” He exhaled. “Now, then… for the stakes: if you lose, I complete my contract. Patton, Hollis, they die. Plus, I take back my flash drive… how _ever_ I have to.”

That immediately made Maslow’s palms sweat.

“And if Raizo wins?” Mika asked.

“Kahler’s been after me for ten years,” Shinsuke explained. “No doubt his colleagues thought he was chasing a ghost. That flash drive will give you everything. Every single contract I’ve taken for the past ten years.”

“All of them?” Maslow asked.

“Every one.”

Maslow looked at the drive then back at Shinsuke, “You have them all?”

“Do you know the scum I’ve worked with, Inspector?” Shinsuke asked. “I’ve always planned for the day any of them would either double-cross me or don’t hold up their end of the deal.”

Mika knew well enough that Shinsuke was telling the truth. “So, how does this work?”

Shinsuke pointed at Raizo. “Me and him. Here and now.”

Raizo nodded, “Agreed.”

Shinsuke let his teeth gleam as he grinned. “Excellent!”

Raizo looked at Mika, “Take everyone out of here.” He looked at Maslow, “Close off the building, now.”

“You might wanna use the stairs to leave,” Shinsuke advised. “I might possibly have shut down the power to the building. Or the block.”

Mika looked at Shinsuke then at Raizo, “Raizo…”

“Go, Mika,” Raizo said, calmly. “I’ll be alright.”

Mika fought every urge in her body to kiss him now but she couldn’t let his romantic side rule right now. Right now, they all needed his killer side to be in control. She looked at Maslow, “Let’s go.”

“Kick his ass,” Maslow said to Raizo.

Raizo nodded.

Mika and Raizo led the Pattons down the opposite end of the hall to a nearby stare case.

Raizo took his jacket off, tossing it to the side, removed his _kyoketsu-shoge_ from his back, and entered a fighting stance.

“I know this lacks the typical ninja showdown scenery,” Shinsuke pointed out, “but I didn’t want to risk any further interruptions. I want to settle this, once and for all.” He examined his katana, “We’re dead even with one win a piece.” He shifted his eyes to his rival. “But I love a good tiebreaker, don’t you?”

Raizo tightened his grip on the _kyoketsu-shoge_.

“I can honestly say I enjoy talking to you, Raizo. None of the bull, all of the action.” Shinsuke exhaled. “Alright then.” He entered a fighting stance. “Ready?”

Raizo gave a small, quick nod.

“Let’s go!”


	14. Chapter Fourteen

** Chapter Fourteen **

Raizo swung his _kyoketsu-shoge_ at Shinsuke, who deflected it with his sword. Shinsuke rushed and attempted to slice Raizo wide open. Raizo jumped back and kicked Shinsuke hard against a nearby wall. Raizo launched the blade right toward Shinsuke’s head but Shinsuke flipped out of the way. Shinsuke put some distance between himself and Raizo before rushing in again, displaying picture perfect style with his katana while Raizo displayed the most amazing skill with his _kyoketsu-shoge_. They battled all over the hallway until Raizo crashed into the janitor cart, revealing that were a few other choice _Hanta Kirra_ weapons within. Raizo looked up at the smiling Shinsuke.

“What?” Shinsuke asked. “I had to bring a few backups. You’re welcome to them. Not that you need them, I’m sure.”

Raizo rolled forward, swung his _kyoketsu-shoge_ , and continued the battle.

* * *

Mika, Maslow, and the Pattons made it to the bottom floor of the building, with the Pattons demonstrating a lack of physical fitness. They exited to the back alley of the building and saw the whole area was at a standstill due to the power outage. They went across the street to observe the building from another alley, stopping there so everyone could recover.

“Why…” Shelia asked, “are we… in an alley?”

“Too dangerous to be out in the open,” Mika explained. She kept her head on swivel back and forth while Maslow made a phone call to the local police department to make sure they closed off access to the building. “Trust us: this is safer.”

“What the…” Tyler started, doubled over and catching his breath, “…what the _hell_ … was that man? That… that kind of… thing is impossible!”

“Too hard to explain.” Mika looked and saw a Lincoln Town Car pass by and recognized one of the passengers in the back seat. “Ryan, I think that was Tristin Atkins.”

Having just ended his call, Maslow looked up, alarmed. “What?”

“I think he was in that car.”

They walked around the corner and watched the car go down the block and stop about three buildings away.

* * *

Atkins and Michael sat in the back of the Town Car, looking at the darkened office building, hoping that Shinsuke was still there. He looked at Michael, “Can you deal with him?”

“I can handle him, sir,” Michael promised.

“Don’t be too sure. Get in, get behind him, and kill him.”

“Is his contract to you finished?”

“I’ll worry about that another time. I can’t afford him being taken the authorities. He talks too much. I need him dead. Understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

* * *

As they kept their eyes on the car, Maslow asked Mika, “How sure are you it’s Atkins?”

“Sure enough,” Mika answered. “I did meet him face to face.” She saw the car door start to open. “Wait.”

A large man wearing an overcoat got out and headed for the building.

“Who’s that big guy?”

“Whoever he is, I’d like to know why he’s going into a building where the power is out,” Maslow said.

The man looked around and headed toward the back of the building to the same alley that they had escaped from previously.

“I’d more like to know why he feels the need to go in the back,” Mika exhaled. She looked at Tyler then back at Maslow, “Watch them.”

“Where the hell are you going?” Maslow asked.

“Where do you think? Atkins’ in that car and some guy just slunk out of the back. I thought you weren’t ‘some blind statesman’.”

“You think Raizo can’t handle himself?”

“Not when he’s so focused on one guy and isn’t expecting anyone else to be there. I have to help, Ryan.” Mika drew her gun.

“And just what the hell do you plan to do?” Maslow asked.

Mika cocked her gun back. “Make sure that the fight stays one-on-one.”

Maslow took a moment to process what he was seeing. He scoffed. “You, sure as hell, aren’t the same researcher you were six months ago.”

She smiled. “People can change, Ryan.”

“Yes, they can.” He looked back at the car. “Go. I’ll keep an eye on Atkins,” he motioned toward the Pattons, “and them.”

“Good.” She looked at her father. “Stay with Ryan and do whatever he says.”

“Where are you going?” Tyler asked.

“Back inside.”

“That’s foolish. What are you going to do?”

“To do whatever I can to help.” Mika headed off across the street.

* * *

After a feverous exchange where several near fatal blows were landed, Raizo tossed Shinsuke through a glass wall of one of the conference rooms and took a second to get his breath back. Raizo was bleeding from various areas, as was Shinsuke, but no injury was life threatening; just inconvenient. Neither had time to focus on the petty injuries, however. This fight needed to be settled. Raizo stepped into the room and saw no sign of Shinsuke. Raizo found himself very impressed by Shinsuke’s shadow bending.

“I suppose now is a good time to explain myself, Raizo,” Shinsuke admitted, his voice echoing again.

Raizo faded into the shadows, as well. “I wouldn’t mind that.”

They slowly moved around the room and floor, using the powers of the shadows to duel one another. Their strikes were fast and furious; they would collide and fade back into the darkness.

“For years,” Shinsuke began, “I defeated everyone. No one could touch me. Old man Iburi called me his ‘most promising child’.”

Raizo was silent for a second. “Ozunu called me the same.”

“See how similar we are, brother?”

Raizo paused for another second. “I do.”

Shinsuke was a quiet for a moment. “Didn’t think you’d admit that.”

“No reason to deny it.”

Shinsuke moved out of the shadows and stabbed at another where he thought Raizo was. He only stabbed the wall and Raizo jumped Shinsuke from behind, wrapping the chain around Shinsuke’s neck. Raizo dragged Shinsuke back, trying to work his blade around to stab Shinsuke but Shinsuke dropped to a seated position and knocked Raizo down. Shinsuke swiped at Raizo, who rolled out of the way. Raizo got to his feet and swung the _kyoketsu-shoge_ but Shinsuke dodged.

Shinsuke rolled to a guarded position. “I didn’t lose. I couldn’t. I always saw the path to victory and I was always right.”

Raizo prepared for another charge.

“I left because, one day, me and Iburi would come to blows. And he stood no chance. He knew it, too. Why else would he send someone after me?”

“So, you left to avoid fighting him?”

“I left because I had no time for every Clan member coming to kill me for offing their precious ‘father’,” Shinsuke explained. “It was meaningless to waste time on him. Not when there was so much more to see outside of the Clan. I went out into the world and I decided to put my skills to good use.”

“By becoming a mercenary and an assassin?” Raizo asked.

“What other uses for my skills are there? No one could stop me. No one could kill me. One on one, I had no equal. I’ve been shot, Raizo. I’ve been hit. But that was by teams of men, some with guns and snipers.” Shinsuke smiled. “You.” He slowly got to his feet, causing Raizo to do the same. “You’re the only one who’s ever soundly defeated me, alone. I had to run from you to complete my contract. I had to flee and _not_ finish the fight.” He chuckled. “I’ve never done that before!”

Raizo chuckled, lowly. “I have to admit… somehow, that makes me feel better.”

“It should.”

Shinsuke swiped the air and charged at Raizo, unleashing a fierce attack. Raizo blocked all of the attacks and kicked Shinsuke squarely in the gut. Shinsuke stumbled against a wall and dodged Raizo’s blade from hitting him in the head. Shinsuke rushed at Raizo, throwing his shoulder into Raizo’s gut. They crashed into a wall and Shinsuke tried to run Raizo through but Raizo moved out of the way and threw his elbow across Shinsuke’s face. Raizo kicked Shinsuke back and wrapped the chain around Shinsuke’s ankle, pulling hard enough to throw Shinsuke to the floor. Raizo dove for Shinsuke but Shinsuke got his feet up in time to toss Raizo overhead. They scrambled to their feet and charged at one another again.

* * *

Michael walked through the building, listening for any fighting. He made it to the top floor and slowly walked through the hallway, with his gun to his side. He heard a series of blows landing and metal colliding. Carefully traversing the office floor, he peeked around the corner to find Shinsuke and Raizo heatedly embroiled in battle. He couldn’t really tell who he was supposed to be shooting at due to the darkness and their similar builds, so he decided to aim for them both.

“HOLD IT!”

Michael spun around, saw Mika with her gun drawn at him, and fired without hesitation. Mika ducked down but came up shooting, causing Michael to duck out of the way. Raizo and Shinsuke ducked for cover at the gun shots and looked at each other. They looked at the direction of the shots and the flashes from around the corner.

Shinsuke shook his head, “That fool. He should’ve known better.” He looked toward Raizo. “Excuse me for just a moment.” He moved toward the gun shots.

Mika maneuvered closer to Michael, staying crouched down all the while. She was breathing hard but knew that she only had one shot at this. She closed her eyes to compose herself. She threw herself around the corner and fired, managing to wing Michael across the left arm. He dropped from the impact, crawling around to make sure he didn’t get hit again. He came up shooting at Mika’s direction, only to find she had already moved away. He was about to drop back down when he was jerked forward suddenly from a sword protruding through his stomach, causing him to gasp. He stared down at the blade in shock before looking over his shoulder see Shinsuke staring at him.

“You don’t belong here.” Shinsuke pulled his sword from Michael’s back and pushed him over. He kicked Michael’s gun away then looked around and found Mika, “Thanks for the help, Ms. Coretti.” He grabbed Michael’s wrist and dragged him toward a nearby window. “Just be another second, Raizo.” He grabbed Michael by the throat, picked him up, and slammed him against the window. He sighed and smiled. “Atkins sent you, didn’t he?”

Michael remained silent.

“Didn’t he?”

Still nothing.

“That’s alright,” Shinsuke said. “I know he did. I’m terribly sorry that he involved you in this. He could’ve, at least, had the balls to deal with me himself. Doesn’t matter, really. I’ll deal with him in time.” He smirked. “But your time? Your time is up.” He pulled Michael back then, with all the force he had, threw Michael through the window, sending him falling to the street below.

Maslow heard the glass shatter then looked up to see a body plummeting to the ground. He looked at the Pattons, “Stay here!” He hurried across the street and saw that broken, bloody body of the big man who went entered the building. “Bloody hell…” He heard an engine start up and saw the Town Car peel out of the area. “Dammit.” He looked up at the building, “You better finish this, Raizo.”

Shinsuke stared at the darkened street and laughed. “They never learn.” He picked up his sword and turned to see Raizo checking on Mika. “You didn’t even stab me in the back.”

“You were busy,” Raizo replied.

“I was.” Shinsuke looked at Mika. “Anyone who bets against you, Ms. Coretti, is really playing Russian roulette. A couple of years of training, you’d be as dangerous as me or Raizo.”

Mika stared at Shinsuke. “I… guess I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“As much as I appreciate the aid, we do have some business to complete. Would you mind?”

Despite already previously agreeing to it, Mika looked at little unsure about honoring this request a second time.

“Go, Mika,” Raizo advised. “It’s fine.”

“You were doing just fine until we were interrupted.” Shinsuke groaned. “Unprofessional, callous fellow. I’m glad he’s dead.” He perked up. “So! Where were we?”

“Go, Mika. I can handle this.”

Mika slowly stood up, not wanting to make Shinsuke wary. Raizo stood along with her.

“If I thought at all you would be so rude in attacking me, Mika, I would’ve dealt with you already,” Shinsuke assured.

She nodded and headed for the staircase.

Raizo watched Mika until the door closed. He turned his attention back to Shinsuke.

“So,” Shinsuke smiled, “where were we?” He nodded, “Oh, yes. We were about… here!” With blinding speed, he threw three shurikens.

Raizo managed to dodge two of them but the third lodged into side of his left arm. He rolled forward, threw the _kyoketsu-shoge_ at a blazing speed that Shinsuke wasn’t prepared for. The blade sliced across his right pectoral muscle, not enough to do real damage but it was definitely limit his movement with that arm. Shinsuke growled and switched the sword over to his left hand. Shinsuke charged at Raizo but Raizo came up with a hard knee to Shinsuke’s gut and, grabbing Shinsuke by the gi, tossed him against a wall. Raizo backed up, to give himself a breather, while Shinsuke did the same.

They were both spent, running on pure fumes.

Raizo and Shinsuke managed to get up and swung their weapons at each other, the collision prompting a flash. They dueled with everything they had, not holding back anymore. This is where it was going to end and it was going to end now. Shinsuke went for a straight thrust with the katana but Raizo moved out of the way, wrapped the chain around the blade, and headbutted Shinsuke in the face. Raizo punched Shinsuke across the face numerous times before finally slashing Shinsuke across the chest half a dozen times before kicking him almost through the wall.

All became calm. Raizo fell to a knee, staring at Shinsuke and notice that he wasn’t moving. Shinsuke was breathing slowly, showing life, but he was clearly down.

With a low groan, Shinsuke pulled himself out of wall and fell to the floor on his hands and knees. He took a few breaths as he clutched at his wounds. Shinsuke sat back against the wall and chortled. “Not a fluke. Not a chance wound.” He leaned his head back. “Well, done, Raizo. I am satisfied.”

Raizo slowly advanced toward him, kneeled down, and held his blade to Shinsuke’s throat.

Shinsuke stared Raizo in the eyes. “I know you’re not shy about spilling blood.”

“No,” Raizo admitted. “But you’re defeated. This is a moot point.”

“Indeed.”

Raizo smiled.

“What happens now, brother?”

“You. You go to prison.”

Shinsuke let his teeth gleam. “And here I thought you were nothing but a bloodthirsty brute.”

“No, you didn’t,” Raizo pointed out.

“You’re right, I didn’t. Glad to see I was right.” Shinsuke chuckled. “Congratulations, Raizo. You’ve won the game. You are the superior.”

Raizo gave a polite, respectful nod.

“Now, would you mind taking me in to custody? I’d like to get some medical attention since I’m starting to lose consciousness.”


	15. Chapter Fifteen

** Chapter Fifteen **

Sitting in the back of the ambulance, Raizo opened and closed his hand to confirm he still had feeling in it. He would heal the wounds soon enough but Mika insisted on him getting patched up for now. He relented, only because he really couldn’t deny her. While he was moving his arm around, Mika walked over to him and sat down, placing her hand on top of his. He looked at her and smiled; he brought her hand up to lips and kissed it. The power was restored to the block and the police were preparing to load the wounded Shinsuke into the back of the prison ambulance.

Maslow walked up to Mika and Raizo and nodded at them, “Good work.”

Raizo inclined his head.

“Both of you.”

Mika smiled and nodded.

Tyler walked up to the scene and looked at the three, uncertain of what to really say.

Maslow looked at him, “Mr. Patton. You’re a lucky man, sir.”

“Yes.” Tyler looked back at Mika, who met his gaze with the same uncertainty. “It seems my life really _was_ in danger. I have all of you to thank for saving me.”

“I meant to have a daughter like Mika but she should get credit for that last part, too.”

“Agreed,” Raizo added.

Tyler remained silent at that.

Mika ignored his silence and decided to focus on the case. “What are we going to do about Atkins?”

“We’ll get him,” Maslow declared. “Sooner or later.” He looked at the flash drive, “We have the evidence to take him down.”

“Thanks to some unexpected help,” Raizo was staring at the broken Shinsuke as they loaded him on to the ambulance.

Maslow stared at the ambulance as it drove off, “I’m not the only amazed he’s still alive, right?”

“No,” Raizo and Mika answered at the same time.

Shinsuke looked at them and smiled. He even winked at them.

“What is with that guy?” Maslow asked.

“He lost,” Raizo said. “Sometimes, there’s nothing more reassuring than a defeat.”

Tyler looked back at his daughter, “Mika…”

Mika looked up at Tyler.

“I… was hoping we could talk.”

Mika stared at him in silence.

She was silent so long that Raizo and Maslow were certain she was about to tell him off.

When Mika broke her silence, however, she did so with a nod, “I think we should.”

Raizo looked at her with his indifference masking the great surprise on his face.

“But that can wait until later. Let’s all get some sleep for now.”

Tyler nodded, “That’s fair.” He started to walk toward Sheila.

“Dad!” Mika called out.

Tyler stopped and looked at Mika.

“I’m glad we got to you in time.”

Tyler nodded, “Thank you.” He walked over to Shelia.

Raizo looked at Mika, “I’m very proud of you.”

“Thanks,” Mika replied.

Maslow exhaled. “Let’s all get some rest. We really need it.”

* * *

**_Two days later._ **

Shinsuke was sitting in an interrogation room in the FBI office. He looked around, with a constant smile on his face. He still had some bandages from the fight with Raizo but he’d survived worse. He was grateful Raizo stopped where he did.

The door opened and a brown haired agent walked in. “Mr. Shinsuke, I’m special agent Michael Staves with the FBI.”

“Michael,” Shinsuke nodded. “May I call you ‘Michael’?”

“Uh… sure.”

“I’ve always liked using first names. Makes things more personal, don’t you think?”

Staves stared at him in disbelief, “That is true, I suppose.” He sat down, “Mr. Shinsuke…”

“Just ‘Shinsuke,’ please.”

“Alright. Shinsuke, agent Ryan Maslow with Europol gave us a copy of your flash drive.”

“I knew he would,” Shinsuke said.

“You’re… a very bad man.”

“Yes, I am.”

Staves narrowed his eyes.

Shinsuke smiled, “But that part of my life is over.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, indeed. It was all a game and I lost. And, with that loss, comes the rewards for you and yours. You’re about to get the truth of all of the murders I’ve committed, the people who hired me, and quite a few things that people don’t think I know.”

“Really?” Staves asked.

“Yes,” Shinsuke said. “Then, once you know everything, you’re going to let me go.”

Staves was taken aback. “No. That’s not going to happen.”

“I find it hilarious that you think you’ll have a choice.”

“ _You_ don’t have one.”

“You couldn’t be more wrong. There’s no other option, really. I can give you everything, including what’s not on that drive under two conditions.”

“And those are?” Staves asked.

“First,” Shinsuke began, “all credit for everything, my arrest and all of it, goes to Dominic Kahler, Ryan Maslow, and Mika Coretti.”

“Second?”

“Complete immunity from all prosecution. For me, of course.”

“And if we don’t?”

“The public will be very sad to know that you had the ability to stop several terrorist cells because you wanted to put away one assassin.”

Staves paused for a while. “You… may have a point.”

“I know I do.”

“Can you prove any of this?”

“Every bit,” Shinsuke declared, confidently. “Here’s a preview: in 36 hours, a terrorist bombing is going to take place in Chicago by a group called the Ending. However, the FBI and NSA are already closing in on them and they already have some key players arrested or killed. I can give you the man who is really behind funding the group. He’s in Sacramento, California. I’ll give you his name and his accounts to prove all of my information is valid. Afterward, I’ll give you everything you need and you’ll give me everything I want.”

Staves sat back. It really was too good of a deal to pass up. “You are certainly sure of yourself, Shinsuke.”

Shinsuke smiled, letting his teeth gleam. “It’s what makes me a likeable yet arrogant bastard.” He motioned toward the glass. “Make the call.”

* * *

The next day proved that Shinsuke was telling the truth and, a couple of days later, Shinsuke gave all the intelligence he had to secure his immunity and Raizo, Mika, and Maslow were back in London. The trio went to see Kahler in his recovery room at the hospital, having just informed Kahler of all the details of Shinsuke’s deal.

Kahler couldn’t help but laugh. “And the bleedin’ bastard got away scot-free?”

Maslow shrugged, “The world justice system in action.”

Kahler kept laughing. “Damn that man. I hate admit that I like his style.”

“I think that’s a mutual thing we all hate admitting,” Mika agreed.

“What happens now?”

Maslow shrugged, “Job’s done. Nothing to do but go back to Berlin.”

Kahler nodded. He looked at Raizo, “What about you, lad? Back on the road with you?”

Raizo shook his head. “I have…” He looked at Mika, “many reasons for staying in one place now.”

“Smart man.”

“I’ll never get any work out of her again,” Maslow grumbled.

“Shut yer trap, Ryan!” Kahler commanded. “Let the girl be. She stood up to the Red Shuriken. That’s, at least, a month’s paid vacation.”

“Dominic, have I mentioned that I love you?” Mika smiled.

“Both of you shut up,” Maslow ordered.

Kahler let out a chuckle. “Headed back to Berlin soon?”

“I am.” Maslow looked at Raizo and Mika.

“We have… something to take care of, first,” Mika informed.

Kahler could see it written all over Mika’s face. It was something personal. “Just remember, dear: you’re not alone.”

Mika smiled and looked at Raizo. “I know.”

Raizo smiled at her.

* * *

That evening, Mika and Raizo sat at the table in the restaurant she had appointed to meet Tyler at. She was focused on the door as she waited for him to arrive. As time ticked closer, she found herself having to constantly take deep breaths.

“Are you sure you want me here?” Raizo asked.

Mika looked at him.

“I can easily wait, elsewhere.”

“No, stay.” Mika placed her hand on his. “I need you.”

Raizo interlocked his fingers with hers.

Tyler walked in, nervousness written all over his face. He walked over and sat down at the table, opposite the couple.

“Hi,” Tyler greeted.

“Hey,” Mika replied.

Tyler looked at Raizo, “Mr. Raizo.”

“Mr. Patton,” Raizo replied.

Mika looked around, “Where’s Shelia?”

“Not coming,” Tyler answered. “She’s, uh… she’s still deciding whether or not we’re staying married.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” Tyler sighed. “It never was. It’s always been mine.”

“You’ve done a turn around,” Mika noted.

“What can I say? When you realize that you’re a target of an assassination, it tends to convert one.” Tyler looked around, “Do you think…”

“You have nothing more to fear from him,” Raizo declared. “Trust me.”

“I do.” Tyler looked at Mika. “Because she does.”

“A good enough reason for me.”

Tyler stared for a while at Mika, trying to form the right words. “I know I have a lot to say. Too much to cover in a single sitting but… I owe you a lot, Mika. You could’ve let me die. Found your assassin some other way but you didn’t.”

Mika exhaled. “I couldn’t.”

“I know you haven’t forgiven me for what happened between me and you mother. I don’t know if you’ll ever be able to and I don’t think that I can blame you for that. But I want to, at least, try to be the father I should’ve been.” Tyler paused. “When that man came to kill me… I saw something. Something that I should’ve seen so long ago. You. Who you are.” He stared at Mika, gazing into her eyes. “You are so strong, Mika. Just like your mother.”

Mika closed her eyes as a warm feeling came over her.

“For so long, I blamed your mother. Then I blamed you. And, when you could’ve let me die, you proved you’re as strong as her and did the right thing. Even when I didn’t. So, with all that in mind… I have to say this. I’m sorry, Mika. For everything. Everything I put you through and Isabel through, for all the time we’ve lost, I am… so sorry.”

Mika had waited years for that admission. It was worth the wait. She took a breath and, with a nod, exhaled, “Thank you.” A tear formed in her right eye.

A small smile crept on to Tyler’s face. “I was hoping… if you wanted, I could come visit you in Berlin. Work on… fixing things.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’d… I’d like that.”

As they continued talking, Raizo just sat back and smiled. He was glad to see that some bridges weren’t completely destroyed.

* * *

Later on that night, Mika and Raizo were in their hotel room, about to settle in to bed, when Mika heard her phone ring. She answered it, “Hello.” She looked surprised, “Oh… um, hello.” She was silent for a second. “Uh… yes, he’s right here. Just a moment.” She looked at Raizo, “It’s for you.”

Raizo smirked and took the phone. “It took a day longer for you to call me than I thought it would.”

“ _Blame yourself,_ ” Shinsuke replied. “ _It took me forever to start moving again with all the damn injuries you inflicted._ ”

“I thought you’d be alright.”

“ _I am, now._ ”

“Where are you?” Raizo asked.

“ _Uh-uh-uh!_ ” Shinsuke chided. “ _You know better than that, Raizo._ ”

Raizo smirked. “Worth a shot.”

“ _I can imagine you have quite the smug smile on your face._ ”

“You’ll never know.”

“ _True._ ”

“What happens now?” Raizo asked.

“ _We go our separate ways, Raizo,_ ” Shinsuke answered. “ _I doubt you’ll ever hear from me again. You get to live in peace and me? Well, I’ll go ahead and retire._ ”

“You know they still haven’t found Atkins.”

Shinsuke laughed. “ _Don’t worry about that, Raizo. They will._ ” He fell quiet. “ _In one way or the other._ ”

Raizo shook his head. He already knew what that meant. “I thought you had changed.”

“ _I did. This is the last one._ ”

“For now.”

“ _Unless otherwise necessary._ ”

Raizo chuckled. “Such is life.”

“ _For us, yes, indeed,_ ” Shinsuke agreed.

“Fair travels, Shinsuke.”

“ _You, as well, Raizo._ ” Shinsuke ended the call.

Raizo lowered the phone and looked at Mika. They shared a smile.

“All over?” Mika asked.

“For us,” Raizo answered, “yes, it’s all over.”

* * *

Shinsuke ended the call and chuckled. “Raizo.” He looked over at Mei, who was sitting in the passenger side of the car, and smiled. “I was glad to lose to man like him.”

“He could’ve killed you, my love,” Mei replied.

“Could have, darling, but he has worlds more integrity than others we’ve faced.”

“You certainly seem fond of him.”

“What can I say?” Shinsuke shrugged. “Him, Dominic, Mika, and Maslow… they actually have honor. I’m glad it didn’t have to come anything… worse.”

“I am, too.” Mei looked at review mirror. “He’s here.”

He looked out of the side mirror, “Mm-hmm. Tsk. It’s actually too bad. Had he just let things be, we’d already be in the Cayman Islands instead of in France.” He looked back at her. “Sorry, dear.”

“I don’t hate it here. I just want to finally travel the world for pleasure, like you promised.”

“And we will. Right after this.”

“Don’t be too long,” she ordered. “I hate the waiting.”

“I won’t be.” He started the car and drove down the street. “After this… you’ll never have to wait for me again.”

She smiled. “I can’t wait.”

* * *

**_Two hours later._ **

Atkins laid down in his bed. He shot up when he heard something creak in the house. He reached over to his nightstand and pulled out a gun from the drawer. He swallowed the lump in his throat and got out of bed. “H-Hello?”

He moved slowly out of his bedroom and down the hallway, keeping the pistol aimed forward. He kept listening for any other noise but the silence was terrifyingly absolute. He advanced a little further but stopped when suddenly something cold and metal hit his wrist. He looked and saw that his hand was removed, taking the gun with it. He screamed as the pain finally registered and his blood was starting to pour from the wound.

“It’s too bad, Mr. Atkins,” Shinsuke’s voice came from the shadows. He emerged and stood in front of him, holding a bloodstained katana.

Atkins started crying.

“You knew the contract. I explained everything to you.”

“No, please…”

“And you tried to break the contract, anyway,” Shinsuke continued. “There are consequences for what you’ve done. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” He raised his sword up. “This is yours.”

“Please! Please!”

Shinsuke groaned, lowering the sword. “You know one thing I hate?”

Atkins couldn’t stop his body from shaking.

“Cowards with no spine.”

Atkins started weeping.

“Good thing you’re the last one…” Shinsuke raised his katana high, once again. “…I’ll ever have to deal with. Good-bye, Mr. Atkins.” He brought the sword down with force.


	16. Epilogue

** Epilogue **

**_One Month Later._ **

Mika hated coming to this cemetery; it never made her feel any better. So much pain came with it. She remembered seeing her mother wither away in those last few months and this was nothing but an unpleasant reminder. But, with a month having gone by since stopping the Red Shuriken murders and talking with her father, Mika needed to come here. With her life taking a new turn, she needed to do this for closure. However, this time, unlike every time before, when she stood at the grave of Isabel Elizabeth Coretti, she was not alone.

Raizo walked up next to Mika and took hold of her hand.

Mika kneeled down and placed the flowers at the base of her mother’s tombstone. “I love you, Mom. So much. I miss you every day. Things might be looking up, though. I’m talking to Dad. He’s… apologized. I wish you were here to hear it. I didn’t do it all alone, though. I had help, someone who’s been there with me.” She stood up straight. She looked at her boyfriend then back at grave. “This is Raizo, Mom. He’s… very special to me.”

Raizo smirked and gave a deep bow of respect in memory of the woman he’d never met but was grateful for.

Mika let a few tears fall. “Do you know… my heart being on the right? I got it from her.”

“Then her heart was special, as well,” Raizo smiled.

“You have no idea.”

“Do you think she would’ve liked me?”

She scoffed, “Are you kidding? Tall, athletic, long hair? She would’ve tried to date you.”

He smiled at the notion, “That would’ve been awkward.”

“You have no idea. Sad part is… she may have surprised you with how close she came to convincing you. Or how persistent.”

He chuckled.

Her smile faded as another tear fell. “I miss her.”

He looked at her. “I know.” He slowly reached out for her hand, his fingers brushing against her.

She took a firm grip of his hand before interlocking their fingers. She rested her head on his shoulder. “I’m really glad you came back.”

“Me, too.”

* * *

**_Four days later._ **

After getting being released from the hospital and getting back to Vienna, Kahler walked back into his home, headed to his bedroom, and threw his bag on the bed. Hearing the faint sound of a door closing, he looked toward the downstairs and smiled. He walked back into the den and poured himself a Brandy. He grabbed a second glass and poured the drink in it, as well.

“I didn’t think it would take you this long to come see me.” Kahler picked up both glasses, turned, and looked at Shinsuke, sitting in one of the easy chairs. “Raizo must’ve really kicked your arse.”

Shinsuke chuckled. “I can’t lie: he put me through the ringer.” He took the glass of Brandy that Kahler presented him with and adjusted himself in the seat. “That guy is damn good.” He took a swallow. “But I was also waiting until you came home. Hospitals are so impersonal plus I imagine the British government is still mad at me for Command Sigma.”

“Hm.” Kahler sat down, “Good thinking.”

Shinsuke took note of Kahler’s body language and couldn’t help but notice one thing, “You’re not worried I’m here to kill you.”

Kahler took a sip and shrugged. “If you want to, there’s nothing I can do. Not like I could fight you off. I’m not afraid of death and I’ve lived a full life. My son wants me to move across the Pond and retire. He has a nice house in Florida, with his wife and my grandchildren.”

“Why don’t you go?”

“I love Vienna. This is my home.”

Shinsuke looked around the room, “Yeah. Nice little retirement gift, I suppose.”

“It was to keep me quiet,” Kahler informed.

“Didn’t work.”

They laughed.

Kahler looked at Shinsuke, “Is Atkins dead?”

Shinsuke swished the liquid around. “Yes.”

Kahler took another sip. “How’d that go?”

“Rather well, I think. Surprised you hadn’t heard yet.”

“Hmm.”

Shinsuke smiled. “You _did_ know! You were confirming that I did it!”

“Just wanted to make sure.” Kahler sat back and exhaled. “So, that’s it, then?”

“Yes. The game’s over, Dominic. I lost. It was worth it. What a fun game! Time of my life.”

“Raizo was your superior.”

Shinsuke chuckled. “I don’t have any problem admitting that. When a man is stronger, he’s stronger. I’m not the narcissist that I appear to be. Only the fools who ‘raised’ me and Raizo have delusions of being the strongest forever, not me and certainly not him. Raizo is stronger than me.” He scoffed. “Let him enjoy his victory. He’s earned it.”

Kahler nodded, understandingly. “And what of you? The Red Shuriken.”

“Oh, that man is dead. He fought, won a few times, then finally met his match. All in all, not a bad story.”

“So, what next?”

“The next story, the next book.”

“Hm.” Kahler took another sip. “It’s funny. I always thought I’d be standing over your grave. Not sharing a Brandy with you.”

“So, why do it, now?” Shinsuke asked.

Kahler gave a small shrug. “Maybe I understand you a little better now.”

“You should. You’re as close to a father as I ever actually had.”

“For some reason, I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“It was meant to be. I’ve also noticed a trend of people saying that to me.” Shinsuke finished off of his glass and got up to pour another glass. “So, do you plan on keeping in touch with Raizo and Mika?”

“Their good people. I plan to, yes.”

“Good.” Shinsuke finished his Brandy and set the glass down. “I’ll be off, then.”

Kahler nodded.

“I’ll keep in touch, Dominic.”

“You do that.”

Shinsuke headed for the door but stopped. “You should consider Florida. Barring the horrible hurricanes at times, it’s a lovely place.”

“I’ll consider it,” Kahler said.

“Good. See you around, Dominic.”

“See you around, Shinsuke.”

Shinsuke exited the home while Kahler chuckled and took another sip of Brandy.

* * *

Mika awoke the next morning and found the one thing she had wanted for a while: Raizo asleep next to her. She sighed and laid her head back down on her pillow. She was relieved to be back in her own bed and to have the certainty that this was over. She rolled over and looked back at Raizo.

She smiled, “I can’t tell if you’re awake or not.”

He smiled. “I actually was asleep until you woke up.” He opened his eyes and looked at her. “I could feel you staring at me.”

“You’re just so damn gorgeous to look at.”

“That exact phrase could be applied to you. And should be, often. Which is why I’m here.”

She fell silent for a while. “I’m really glad you are.”

He smiled.

“So, a whole month off.” She smiled. “This hasn’t happened in… well, ever.”

“What should we do? Or where should we go?”

She shrugged, “I’ve always wanted to see New York City.”

“Sounds good to me,” he replied.

“After that… I don’t know. Let’s just take it all… one day at a time.”

He inclined his head to her, “I’d like that.”

“Me, too.” She exhaled. “When we get back from our globetrotting, I guess you’ll be moving in with me.”

“If you want.”

“Of course, I want. You’re going to need a job, though. As hot as you are, that doesn’t mean you can’t help pay bills.”

“I can help you do that, anyway.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“The Ozunu clan also had a fair share of wealth,” he explained. “I took some of it when I escaped.”

“How much of it?”

“A lot of it.”

“So… are you rich?”

He shrugged.

She pushed up on her elbow. “You’re rich?”

He smiled. “Have you ever seen me work a normal job?”

“I don’t think you ever could-you’re rich?”

“How do you think I was able to live on my own? And everything that I have: clothes, cars.”

“I just assumed you stole those.”

“That, too,” he admitted.

“But, I have to ask again, you’re rich?” she asked.

He smiled at her. “Yes, I am. I’m starting to think you only love me for my money.”

A look of desire came in her eyes. “Well… it’s a perk, yes. But, it’s not the only reason.”

“Really?”

“Really.” She kissed him.

The kiss said everything else they needed to know. They were here with each other. They were together and nothing would separate them again. The future, they decided, had never looked brighter.


End file.
